Guides

How to cut your screen time (and actually stick to it)

29 October 2026 · Nuverdi

Most people already know they're on their phone too much. The hard part isn't knowing, it's sticking to a plan when the feed is one tap away. These steps make it easier.

1. Measure first

Check your real daily average for social media before you set a goal. Most people guess low. Here's how to find it.

2. Pick a target you could hit on a bad week

A big cut sounds good on Monday and falls apart by Thursday. Choose a limit you'd still manage on a stressful week, hit it, then lower it next month.

3. Turn off the pings

Switch off notifications for social apps. Every buzz is an invitation to open the app, and most of them can wait.

4. Add friction

Move social apps off your home screen and into a folder on the last page. Log out of the ones you open on autopilot. A few extra taps is often enough to break the habit.

5. Keep your phone out of the bedroom

Late-night scrolling is where a lot of hours disappear. Charge your phone in another room and use a cheap alarm clock.

6. Try greyscale

Colour makes feeds more tempting. On iPhone, go to Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size → Colour Filters. On Android, look for greyscale under Digital Wellbeing's Bedtime mode or Accessibility.

7. Use the built-in limits, but don't rely on them

App limits on iPhone and Android help as a reminder. The catch is that you can ignore them with one tap. Here's why that matters.

8. Put something on the line

Goals stick better when breaking them costs you something. That's the idea behind Nuverdi: you stake money on staying under your daily limit, send one screenshot a week, and get your stake back (minus a £5 fee) if you stick to it.