Break up with your screen ... for good!

If your New Year’s resolution is to spend less time glued to devices, our expert guide to cracking tech addiction is just what you need...

Stop scrolling

Many apps have a function in common – the “pull to refresh” action. This is when you “pull” the screen down with your fingertips to make it spring back up with fresh content. This is one of many features that tech experts have designed to echo the way slot machines work.

Anticipation builds, dopamine starts flowing in our brains and we unconsciously find ourselves waiting for a new reward. Take note of every time you pull to refresh and think about how this makes you feel. See if you can stop doing this – and put your phone down.

Be honest about time

Research shows we’re bad at estimating how much time we spend on our phones. One study found the actual amount of time participants spent was double what they had initially estimated.

This is no accident. The most successful apps have been deliberately designed by tech companies to occupy our attention and hoover up hours of our time.

Write down how much time you think you’ll spend on your phone tomorrow. Then use an app to see how much time you actually spend on it. Your estimate is likely to be way off the truth. Now try to reduce your screen time.

Eat the frog

One recent study suggested the reason some people notice their mood dips after using tech could be because they feel they haven’t done anything meaningful. This is why it’s important to figure out where you fit the things that matter most into your day.

Tech time should be included, but work and other essential tasks also have to be given time too. But how do you prioritise? One way is to eat the frog. This means to get the worst, most difficult things you need to do out of the way first.

Phone breaks

Choose a specific time of day when you don’t look at your phone. It can be a short and easy period, but you set this rule in stone.

Psychologist and internet addiction expert Dr Kimberly Young recommends dinner time with your family as a good place to start. Or try a screen- free first coffee of the day.

Find your cues

Every habit has three stages that make up a “habit loop”. First, there’s the cue – this is what triggers your habit. It can be a feeling, such as boredom or loneliness, which tells your brain to go into automatic mode and pick a habit to make it feel better.

Next there’s the routine. This can be physical, emotional or mental – like picking up your phone. And finally, there’s the reward. This is what helps your brain decide if this loop is worth remembering to use again. Make a list of your cues so you know your weak spots.

Create new habits

Once you’ve thought about what cues drive you to use your phone, think about different habits you could use to replace them.

Could you paint something instead of scrolling through social media? If you’re bored, take a short walk or read a few pages of a book.

Get engaged

Research has shown that not all time with tech is spent equally. If you’re the type of person who scrolls passively through people’s posts and updates without commenting or liking them, you’re what’s known as a “lurker”.

This type of passive engagement is more likely to be linked to feelings of loneliness, anxiety and low mood than actively joining in or starting conversations with others. So next time you’re on social media, engage by liking and commenting on posts.

Be kind to yourself

While trying to break tech habits, remember to go easy on yourself. Many of the habit loops you’re trying to change here are wellestablished. What’s more, tech designers work hard to make apps, social networks and games as compelling as possible.

So try not to be too critical of yourself if you find yourself falling back into old habits – it will take time to get the balance right.

The most successful apps have been designed to hoover up hours of time

■ Extracted by Elizabeth Archer from Screen Time: How To Make Peace With Your Devices and Find Your Equilibrium by Becca Caddy (£ 14.99, Bonnier)