This final post (for now) on screen time reduction will explore the importance of finding a “replacement habit” for your phone use.

To begin, a quick discussion of addiction.

In order to kick a harmful habit, it is important to find a different (and healthier) substitute for the one you are trying to eliminate.

This method is sometimes referred to as “behavioral activation” and you can think of it as essentially the (re)discovery of life’s healthy rewards.

The method is commonly employed in the treatment of substance abuse and the premise is simple - rather than taking large dopamine hits from an intoxicant, a person instead replaces it with a healthier and more fulfilling activity. The activity might be something completely new or maybe something a person once enjoyed but lost touch with due to their addiction.

Research shows that people with the most success in ridding themselves of a harmful habit employ some variation of this technique.

To connect this back to your screen time, if you think you might be addicted to your phone (most people are), and you’re looking to reduce your time spent on it, utilizing behavioral activation is a must.

Here are a few notes to help you with the process:

Be clear on what your substitute activity is going to be - really choose it. Be intentional and say to yourself, “during times of my day when I typically grab my phone, I will instead ________” Going through the exercise of clearly establishing your substitute activity is a critical part of the process.

A good amount of mindless phone use happens during the liminal spaces of your day - waiting in your car, standing in line, transitioning between tasks, etc. Therefore, have at least one substitute activity that you can “get into” quickly i.e. meditation, breathwork, a hardcopy book, etc.
On that note, having a few substitute activities is a good idea - one or two for the quicker liminal moments and one or two for bigger chunks of time.
If your activity requires a physical object (book, notebook, pen, etc), do your best to be mindful of its whereabouts. When most folks leave the house they do some variation of a “keys, wallet, phone” checklist. Now, add your substitute activity object - “keys, wallet, phone (or not), book/notebook/etc”.

I’ve already mentioned a few, but here are some options for activities that fit nicely into those liminal spaces:

Breathwork - something as simple as 6 inhales through your nose each with a long, controlled exhale.
Meditation - a quick body scan or just bringing greater awareness to your surroundings.
A micro nap - set a timer and doze off for a few minutes.
Prayer - mindfully recite a particular devotion or quietly express gratitude/love for someone in your life.

Some ideas for the longer chunks of time when you typically might scroll:

Movement - go for a quick walk outside, stretch, a brief yoga flow, work on your posture, etc.
Read a book.
Journal.
Write a letter - thank someone, let someone know you’re thinking of them, etc.
Clean- tidy up your car or a room in your house
Sketch, paint, etc. - flex your creativity.

One last note - as much as you can, try to keep your phone out of arm’s reach. Having to get out of your chair, walk to another room, etc increases the likelihood that you begin your substitute activity. If your phone is easily accessible, the temptation to “just quickly check _____” before you read, meditate, journal etc will often be too great. Your chances for success on a screen reduction journey will be MUCH improved if you are able to consistently create physical distance between you and your phone.

Good luck.

“The next message you need is always right where you are.” - Ram Dass

Words

Substitute The Scroll.