Stop, don’t scroll! We’ve got new hacks for your digital detox

Quick, effective steps for those living the lockdown in high-definition.

To be fair, the smartphone has been a lifeline in the lockdown. We’ve used it to work, keep in touch, combat boredom, follow a recipe, and stay updated as the headlines got bleaker. The streaming screen has been a welcome distraction too.For those concerned about developing an addiction to inter-enabled devices, here’s how to de-addict.

#ChallengeAccepted: Forget turning photos black-and-white. Set the phone to greyscale or mute the colours. Like a casino’s slot machine, a phone’s brightly coloured apps are designed to trigger the brain’s reward system. Leaching it of colour will instantly make the viewing experience less attractive.

Practice distancing: Keep the phone more than arm’s length away, and you’re far less likely to idly scroll. Focus on creating a morning routine that eliminates the distractions and chatter of the timelines. Eventually, you might want to create pockets of time through the day when you simply switch off.

Disable notifications: They’re the crumbs that lead to the candy house. Reacting to every ping, ding or beep tricks the mind into thinking there’s something to take care of. Keep only essential notifications on, mute everything else, check in through the day.

Plan a reward: As with a meal plan or diet, it helps to have a goal to work towards. Are you aiming for half as much screen time? Less texting? Fewer social media posts? Set limits and time frames so it seems like there’s something to work towards. And congratulate yourself with a small prize when you reach those goals. The moments of silence amid the chatter will of course be their own reward.