1. Go on a digital fast: Don’t touch your phone – or any screens – for 24 hours. The aim is to interrupt your physiology and reset dopamine reward pathways. In truth, a single day probably is not enough (research shows it takes 3-4 weeks), but it may make you realize how hooked you really are. Just know: you’ll likely feel worse before you feel better. That’s withdrawal.
2. Optimize your chance of success by setting a date and time for going cold turkey. Tell people you’ll be out of contact. Make plans for healthy activities you can do during this time – especially ones that involve real human interaction. Be warned: it will feel very long. Time slows when we stop chasing dopamine.
3. Anticipate the symptoms of withdrawal: Common symptoms include anxiety, irritability, insomnia, dysphoria, craving. Just know these are time-limited and with continued abstinence will lessen or go away entirely.
4. When you get intense cravings to check your phone, take a cold shower, do 20 sit-ups, or clean the closet. Lean into discomfort to reset your brain’s balance.
5. When the fast is over, plan how to reintegrate digital devices without letting them take over your life. Keep a list of the ways your fast made you feel better. Before even opening your device again, decide exactly how you’ll use it. Write it down – and stick to it. Use strategies such as turning off alerts, deleting apps, and switching to grayscale to lessen your phone’s allure.