How to Cut Back

Practical ways to cut back without relying on willpower — where you put the phone, notifications, home screen layout, and designing the hours of your day.

September 12, 2026

7 Ways to Cut Back on Phone Use — Change the Conditions, Not Your Willpower

Seven ways to reduce heavy phone use, ordered by how much they tend to help. Since awareness alone barely moves the hours, each one changes a condition outside yourself: where the phone sits, what prompts you, and when.