I first realized I had an unhealthy attachment to my phone the day I stood in the middle of Big Bend National Park, surrounded by some of the most unique and breathtaking scenery the US has to offer but not looking at any of it.
Instead, my eyes were glued to the screen in my hand as I desperately tried to find cell service in an area I knew was completely off-grid.
Frustration welled in my chest as I kept trying to connect, one futile attempt after another, with no luck. I needed service, but not because I was attempting to call for help or consult a trail map I’d downloaded beforehand. I was trying to post a story on Instagram.
This moment in Big Bend, though eye-opening, didn’t prompt an immediate detox: It took another year before I was ready to confront my cellular obsession. Even once you’re aware of the all-consuming relationship you have with your phone, wrestling your focus back from the hypnotic glow of your screen is no easy feat. Because people need their phones for all kinds of communication and connection, it’s unrealistic to think that you can divorce yourself from your devices entirely—but you can strive for a better way to coexist with them.
“The ultimate goal isn’t to dump your phone. The goal is to create a healthier relationship with it,” said Catherine Price, science journalist and author of How to Break Up with Your Phone, who has spent years studying the effects of constant smartphone use.
It’s not too late to establish healthy boundaries with your tech. To help, we tested a handful of techniques you can use to create distance from your phone, from mental tricks to productivity apps to lockboxes that keep distractions out of sight.
