The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Phone Addiction - The Breaking Addiction Series

Fox

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
Forum Sponsor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
690%
Aug 19, 2015
3,881
26,764
Europe
I have noticed that with way less time on my phone there is a nice gap to fill with other stuff.

I have been working on my business more, yoga, starting more photography, and some calisthenics.

If you can save around 2 hours a day then you got an extra 500-800 hours a year.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

A_Random_Guy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
115%
May 27, 2019
144
165
India
Phone:

26693
26694

PC:
26695
Today was my day off so I spent 35mins playing PUBGM which would otherwise be over 2hours without a time limiter. :p
Managed to study for 12hours today.
Definitely keeping this routine of posting daily. My current goal is to reduce the time spent on mobile to 30mins only while keeping a check on the websites I visit on PC. No more than 2hours should be spent online(excluding time spent on coding websites).
 

A_Random_Guy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
115%
May 27, 2019
144
165
India
Phone:
26718
26719
26720
Clock=Alarm Clock screen time. Excluding that, managed to put phone usage under 1hour :)
Getting like 3-4hours free for studies.
 

A_Random_Guy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
115%
May 27, 2019
144
165
India
26732
26733
26734

About 1.5hours in pc was productive. However, I have to reduce the time spent on the phone tomorrow.
Tomorrow's Target: Under 1 hour spent on the phone.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

A_Random_Guy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
115%
May 27, 2019
144
165
India
26751
26752
26753

Today's goal achieved :)
Almost kept phone usage to an hour (I had to check Whatsapp for transferring documents.)
Lets keep going!
 

A_Random_Guy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
115%
May 27, 2019
144
165
India
26771
Had two online Assignments to be completed at Nptel. Almost half of the remaining time is spent in FLF :)

26772
26773
And my stupid alarm clock eats away screen time :p

Anyways, I completed a week following this challenge. The results are really good for me. Sometimes I am tempted to spend a lot of time on YouTube so I disabled it on mobile. I only use YouTube on Laptop now to download video lectures and study offline. It is really helping me save time. I had a habit of pausing the video after every 5minutes and checking random stuff like YouTube/Facebook and that made me waste hours.
So, I think I will keep posting here daily(Also, I have not watched porn for a week :p) This might break my porn addiction dammit.
 

A_Random_Guy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
115%
May 27, 2019
144
165
India
26780
26781
26782
40minutes on phone was for lab purpose.
I am not deleting PUBG, I think it is impossible to stop doing everything that wastes time on the phone right now :( I will limit it to 30mins.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Fid

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
297%
May 26, 2017
92
273
Wroclaw, Poland
I don't know if it has been mentioned here.

Deep Work by Cal Newport

A great book I've just finished reading. A bullseye for all of the people who struggle with constant distraction, addiction to social media and short attention span.

You'll learn why it's tremendously profitable to break this addiction (it's not only about saving time) and you'll get the exact steps on how to train the focus and distraction resistance muscles.

I've seen immediate improvement (I finished the book like 3 days ago on my holidays).
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Vadim26

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
193%
Nov 23, 2018
307
592
Vancouver, BC.
I don't know if it has been mentioned here.

Deep Work by Cal Newport

A great book I've just finished reading. A bullseye for all of the people who struggle with constant distraction, addiction to social media and short attention span.

You'll learn why it's tremendously profitable to break this addiction (it's not only about saving time) and you'll get the exact steps on how to train the focus and distraction resistance muscles.

I've seen immediate improvement (I finished the book like 3 days ago on my holidays).

What actionable steps have you applied personally?

I've read it a while ago and remember him saying to increase your "deep work" in short increments of time and force yourself not to pick up phone or get distracted by anything.
 

Olimac21

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
175%
Dec 3, 2015
545
954
31
Belo Horizonte, Brasil
What do you guys think about music in terms of distraction? Do you consider part of the phone addiction or should we put it in another category?
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

John Clancy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
345%
Feb 23, 2015
110
380
Relevant Youtube video that people here might find interesting:


Haven't watched it yet, but it seems like it fits well with the goal of this thread.

Glad to see everyone doing well - keep it up, guys!
 

MoneyHacker

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
96%
Dec 5, 2018
129
124
Somewhere in Asia
What do you guys think about music in terms of distraction? Do you consider part of the phone addiction or should we put it in another category?
I don't know but to me i can work pretty well with music on, especially instrumental music, i mean rock music, it keeps me away from being asleep or tired while i'm working.
 

Fid

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
297%
May 26, 2017
92
273
Wroclaw, Poland
What actionable steps have you applied personally?

I've read it a while ago and remember him saying to increase your "deep work" in short increments of time and force yourself not to pick up phone or get distracted by anything.

- setting up a deep work window of 2 to 4 hours every day, starting at around 10 am
- setting up Freedom.IO to block my social media in certain periods of the day on all my devices
- setting up Freedom.IO to block all the distractions during the deep work window
- setting up time off from the Internet in my leisure time
- putting a deadline of 5 pm for my "work work"
- I'm also working on setting up an accountability group with my peers, with a scoreboard and weekly meetings (as described in the book).

It is not easy and I'm "failing" so far. Failing to focus, but making progress overall - it's a muscle and will strengthen up over time.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Hai

Beauty is Truth
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
Jan 1, 2015
556
716
34
Delete Google Chrome on your phone guys. Stop using google as a default. Block it on your desktop at least.
The browser is the root of all evil.
Delete any other distracting app.
Use Internet Explorer or Edge. Reset your relationship to the internet and get disconnected to that insanity.
The added pain of having a bad browser and standard functions without presets and ads will help you reset your use.
Suddenly the world becomes different.
 

Martin Boeddeker

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
203%
Jun 5, 2018
170
345
40
Paderborn, Deutschland
Here is an excerpt from my blog post on overcoming internet addiction

That's what worked for me :)

Step by Step Guide to Overcome Smart Phone Addiction
Step 1: Identify Potentially Addictive Apps on Your Phone
It may sound crazy but it's important to DEFINE what apps you really WANT to use on your smart phone.
This takes courage because you have to stop following and follow your own goals and your own agenda instead of being the victim of the mindless algorithm of a tech-company.
In his motivation manifesto, Brendon Burchard phrases it like this.
Let us make this day the day we take back our life's agenda from the grips of conformity and distraction. [...] Let us not forget that our simple efforts and daily triumphs can gather wight and motion to become an unstoppable force toward a focused and free life.
We must take a long, unflinching look at our habit of giving our lives and agendas over to others. We have to say no more often. We have to increase our focus. We have to fight harder to safeguard our time and our dreams and our souls.
Action Step
  1. Write down the apps that you want to use on a piece of paper.
  2. Rate the addictiveness of these apps on a scale from 1 to 10.
Ask yourself Where you would have to endure significant drawbacks from not using a specific app on your phone?
This could be something like not being able to use google maps in a new city or not using whatsapp when you meet with friends in a new restaurant.
Please be honest with yourself here.


Use These 3 Questions as Guidelines to Decide What Websites and Apps to Use

What's the BEST possible outcome
if I stop using this app?

What's the WORST possible outcome
if I stop using this app?

What's the MOST LIKELY outcome
if I stop using this app?

To give you an example I don't rate my sleep tracker or google maps very addictive. Maybe a 1 or 2 on the scale. For me, it's okay to have them on my phone.
Whatsapp is probably a 7, and Facebook is rated 8, Youtube and my favorite newspaper sites are rated 10.
It will be different for you. In Step One the goal is to raise our awareness and make logical decisions that are in line with our goals. This is best done on paper.
Step 2: Block Everything That Makes You Addicted to the Internet

Action Steps:


1. Delete every app that is potentially addictive from your phone.

2.Download the app
Appdetox and add times for apps that you have to use less often but cannot delete completely.

3. Download the app
Applock for android to block the play store and your internet browser
If you need to use these apps for professional reasons, use your desktop computer or laptop instead.
If you rated them 7 or higher it's worth to endure even significant drawbacks.
This is about YOUR life. You want to get rid of your internet addiction.
(I'll show you how to cope with these apps and make them less addictive on your computer below).
For example:
Here is a list of of addictive apps that I deleted or blocked on my phone 24/7 using Applock.
  • All browsers
  • All email clients
  • Play Store for new apps
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Skype
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Whatsapp (temporarily)
What I like about Applock is that you can set a complicated password that you cannot remember to unlock the blocked apps and/or settings.
The only addictive app that is still on my mobile phone is Whatsapp because I found it to hard to quit yet because everyone uses it to organise offline activities.
To limit access to WhatsApp I use a 2nd app blocker called "AppDetox" and allow it only for one hour each day.
Then I block access to appdetox with applock.
This is like a 2nd line of defense. When I unlock AppDetox with my password, I'm not tempted to unlock Youtube or my browser in the settings of Applock.
Here are some apps that I still use on my phone:
  • Google Maps
  • Google Calendar
  • A Sleep Tracker
  • Amazon Kindle
  • Google Drive to access to MP3's & videos
I download all the videos and mp3's/ podcasts that I want to listen to on my desktop computer and place them into my drive folder.
Step 3: Prepare for Emergencies with the Password-Photo-Hack
There might be some rare occasions where you might need a new app or access to the internet. Use the password-photo trick to take advantage of the delay discounting principle before you unlock the internet.
Action Steps:
1. Take a photo of a complicated password
2. Use this password in the AppLock-App

Why take a photo?

This ensures that you cannot simply copy/paste your password and makes it really inconvenient to cheat. That's using Delay Discounting in a very pragmatic and practical way to deal with internet addiction.
Unlocking the additive apps with Applock is too complicated without writing the password down again, yet the photo is always available in your phones gallery.
The 2nd benefit is that it will take you a while to enter the password. So you'll give your prefrontal cortex an additional pause to reconsider your decision.
Side note: After 1,5 years of using this trick I never had to unlock my phone due to an emergency.
 

Brian Suh

Silver Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
118%
May 19, 2018
479
566
There have been a lot of dopamine/habits threads lately.
I think there are quite a few of us who are dealing with bad habits and unwanted addictions.

This will be a little thread series of one-month challenges to improve yourself in some small way.
Maybe we can go over a month but let's see how it goes for now.

Rules:
1) If you feel like this is an area you could be doing better in - jump in the thread and try to make some changes.

2)- If you feel like this isn't an issue for you - then refrain from posting "debate" type content that doesn't help those with an issue.
Take that somewhere else.



First up - phone addiction.

View attachment 26528

This is my phone as of today - a LOT of phone usage.

I could use the excuse that I run a very active online business as an excuse but that doesn't change the damage I will do longterm.

Currently, I use my phone to...
- Manage and moderate a 12k FB group, 2 student groups, and a Biz YT channel
- Contact friends and family
- Post and browse on this forum
- Emails
- Social media (100% non-business)
- Random internet scrolling

I already have an adult content blocker on my phone so there is "funny stuff" going on ha. I set it up when I got the phone and forgot the pin - I have been too lazy to restore my whole phone to remove it. It is never an issue except for some forum threads with phrases that block the thread (if someone swears for example).

Today I installed "checky" to see how many times a day I check my phone...

View attachment 26529

I just installed this so I will have to wait a few days to report back what the results are. I am guessing in the 100s.

Challenge goals:
- Get phone usage to less than an hour a day, less than 50 phone checks (turning your phone on)

My plan is to do this by creating new systems and disputing current habits.
I will track what is working and what is not on this thread and after a month we can compare.


If you want to join...

- turn on "phone usage time" and also get an app to check phone opens (I think "checky" is best).
- post up your starting stats here after a full day of usage
- start making changes. Even having the awareness of the issue and the commitment to post will be a big start.

Who is in?


*If this series goes well I think we can do more on habits like saving, eating, sleep, reading and addictions like porn, drinking, smoking weed, porn etc.
lets see how good life can get and that time spent on the phone is actually DEPRIVING us of LIFE itself!
 

A_Random_Guy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
115%
May 27, 2019
144
165
India
Here is an excerpt from my blog post on overcoming internet addiction

That's what worked for me :)

Step by Step Guide to Overcome Smart Phone Addiction
Step 1: Identify Potentially Addictive Apps on Your Phone
It may sound crazy but it's important to DEFINE what apps you really WANT to use on your smart phone.
This takes courage because you have to stop following and follow your own goals and your own agenda instead of being the victim of the mindless algorithm of a tech-company.
In his motivation manifesto, Brendon Burchard phrases it like this.
Let us make this day the day we take back our life's agenda from the grips of conformity and distraction. [...] Let us not forget that our simple efforts and daily triumphs can gather wight and motion to become an unstoppable force toward a focused and free life.
We must take a long, unflinching look at our habit of giving our lives and agendas over to others. We have to say no more often. We have to increase our focus. We have to fight harder to safeguard our time and our dreams and our souls.
Action Step
  1. Write down the apps that you want to use on a piece of paper.
  2. Rate the addictiveness of these apps on a scale from 1 to 10.
Ask yourself Where you would have to endure significant drawbacks from not using a specific app on your phone?
This could be something like not being able to use google maps in a new city or not using whatsapp when you meet with friends in a new restaurant.
Please be honest with yourself here.


Use These 3 Questions as Guidelines to Decide What Websites and Apps to Use

What's the BEST possible outcome
if I stop using this app?

What's the WORST possible outcome
if I stop using this app?

What's the MOST LIKELY outcome
if I stop using this app?

To give you an example I don't rate my sleep tracker or google maps very addictive. Maybe a 1 or 2 on the scale. For me, it's okay to have them on my phone.
Whatsapp is probably a 7, and Facebook is rated 8, Youtube and my favorite newspaper sites are rated 10.
It will be different for you. In Step One the goal is to raise our awareness and make logical decisions that are in line with our goals. This is best done on paper.
Step 2: Block Everything That Makes You Addicted to the Internet

Action Steps:


1. Delete every app that is potentially addictive from your phone.

2.Download the app
Appdetox and add times for apps that you have to use less often but cannot delete completely.

3. Download the app
Applock for android to block the play store and your internet browser
If you need to use these apps for professional reasons, use your desktop computer or laptop instead.
If you rated them 7 or higher it's worth to endure even significant drawbacks.
This is about YOUR life. You want to get rid of your internet addiction.
(I'll show you how to cope with these apps and make them less addictive on your computer below).
For example:
Here is a list of of addictive apps that I deleted or blocked on my phone 24/7 using Applock.
  • All browsers
  • All email clients
  • Play Store for new apps
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Skype
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Whatsapp (temporarily)
What I like about Applock is that you can set a complicated password that you cannot remember to unlock the blocked apps and/or settings.
The only addictive app that is still on my mobile phone is Whatsapp because I found it to hard to quit yet because everyone uses it to organise offline activities.
To limit access to WhatsApp I use a 2nd app blocker called "AppDetox" and allow it only for one hour each day.
Then I block access to appdetox with applock.
This is like a 2nd line of defense. When I unlock AppDetox with my password, I'm not tempted to unlock Youtube or my browser in the settings of Applock.
Here are some apps that I still use on my phone:
  • Google Maps
  • Google Calendar
  • A Sleep Tracker
  • Amazon Kindle
  • Google Drive to access to MP3's & videos
I download all the videos and mp3's/ podcasts that I want to listen to on my desktop computer and place them into my drive folder.
Step 3: Prepare for Emergencies with the Password-Photo-Hack
There might be some rare occasions where you might need a new app or access to the internet. Use the password-photo trick to take advantage of the delay discounting principle before you unlock the internet.
Action Steps:
1. Take a photo of a complicated password
2. Use this password in the AppLock-App

Why take a photo?

This ensures that you cannot simply copy/paste your password and makes it really inconvenient to cheat. That's using Delay Discounting in a very pragmatic and practical way to deal with internet addiction.
Unlocking the additive apps with Applock is too complicated without writing the password down again, yet the photo is always available in your phones gallery.
The 2nd benefit is that it will take you a while to enter the password. So you'll give your prefrontal cortex an additional pause to reconsider your decision.
Side note: After 1,5 years of using this trick I never had to unlock my phone due to an emergency.

Brilliant post. I deleted all of my games recently because initially, I was trying to reduce the amount of phone usage to 1 hour, but after a few days of successful implementation, I was trying to INCREASE my phone usage to just hit the 1-hour mark. So I deleted all the potential games/time-wasting apps.

I cannot completely delete my browser and WhatsApp because I need them for college work.
Posting here daily has made one thing easy, now I don't need to often remind myself to limit my phone usage, it comes off naturally. I turn it on for work, do the stuff and turn it off immediately. There is nothing to check out.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Roli

Platinum Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
160%
Jun 3, 2015
2,061
3,301
I've taken all frivolous games off my phone and replaced them with time management, habit, and fitness apps.

Then to replace the games directly I've added Soduku and Chess, two games that require long bouts of uninterrupted concentration, yet will still provide some dopamine hits.

I'm also trying out some memory games, but will delete them if they're too gamey.

That and some other things I'm doing seem to be working.

PS I feel for @Fox running a 12k member FB group from his phone. For anyone else not using it for business, I would say disable that app forever...
 
D

Deleted69685

Guest
I have some tips which I'll type up quickly:

1. Switch off your phone often. Try leaving it in a draw for a few days on and off. Eventually, you realize you don't depend on it that much (unless you await some form of business response etc but even that should have healthy boundaries).
2. Leave your phone at home when you are in nature - forget about taking pictures all the time, more so please stop seeking external approval by posting those pictures on social media.
3. Reduce amount of apps on your phone - understand that almost everything on your phone/ apps etc is commercialized and targeted at you/your time/your attention. Most of it is hardly beneficial to you, unless you cannot see for what it is.
4. Only use apps that are fundamental to your productivity and business eg. use calendar, use some form of contact platform for distant relationships only (for people who live abroad), use contacts app, emails, camera, notepad, - phone is a tool at your disposal, it should not be using you, you should be using it.
5. Value your mental faculties, figure out how to get to that destination without google maps, learn, memorize, wake up, pick up the phone if you need to arrange something, dont rely on texts, observe your surroundings, understand that the phone reduces your attention span and therefore your lifespan - please dont get run over by a bus, your phone is very distracting, it is designed for that purpose. Messages can wait. Switch off instant notifications.
6. Please dont rely on your phone as an alarm - get an old fashioned alarm clock
7. Understand that prolonged use of your phone increases your chance of getting a cancer due to radiation
8. Never multitask - if you use your phone, only use your phone. Dont search google/social media aimlessly when bored- most of blogs and articles on google these days are written by people who are after your attention/business, most of them are hardly experts on a given field. Find authentic (original source) material on a given issue and learn from it /read it in your own time. Dont allow someone else to shape your way of thinking via phone/internet ( you can tell I am sick of online marketing!), use your intellect to find the original source/expert, read and consider it carefully and then conclude things for yourself.
9. Please dont drive/walk and use your phone at the same time (as above 8). Please dont use your phone when in another person's company. When you are with a friend/gf/bf/significant other, please dont, dont, dont, kill the atmosphere - value that person's time. Besides, if you dont know how to describe something (and you have to "show it" or "look it up") it means you dont know it well enough, it means you have been dumbed down and need to learn more.
10. FOR MEN: Dont carry your phone in your trouser pockets all the time (if you want to have children some day that is), this applies to sleeping near the phone - never sleep in the same room as your phone!!

Just a few tips there based on what I know having spoken to people who have worked in the (smart) phone industry.... (!)

This should tell you something; people who have designed and capitalised on smartphones hardly use them. Especially they dont use them around young children (let alone allow the children themselves to use them), that privilege my friends is left to the uninformed and wilfully ignorant masses.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited by a moderator:

ChrisV

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
225%
May 10, 2015
3,141
7,055
Islands of Calleja

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top