How can I put my phone down and stop doomscrolling?

It’s hard not to be sucked into a spiral of short videos, or a quick session of a game, but we're becoming increasingly aware how these quick dopamine hits don’t do us any good in the long-term.

RNZ asked a panel of people embedded in tech for ways to resist the urge to check your phone every five minutes.

Anderson reckons he uses his phone about six to eight hours a day thanks to his job as content creator and entrepreneur.

But there are several ways to limit the ‘noise’ that grabs your attention. He suggests focus mode – a customisable feature on smartphones that restricts notifications – or a geo-blocking app that turns off distractions when you’re in a certain location, like work or home.

He’s bought the Brick app, which locks you out of apps and blocks notifications of your selection. The only way to regain them is by physically tapping on the accompanying Brick gadget.

Take note of your habits, he advises. Your smartphone’s weekly usage reports can help you be wary or consider using social media on your laptop instead, he says.

New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong needs to focus on creativity but she's also a well-known 'BookTok star'. For the New Zealand writer it’s simple - out of sight, out of mind.

It’s very easy to mindlessly pick up your phone and scroll when it’s accessible all the time, she says. So keep it out of your reach.

“It means I add an extra step between the mindless scroll (getting up and getting it) which forces me back on track.”

Sam Johnson is a gamer responsible for the University of Waikato e-sports club which has about 400 members. He discusses digital wellbeing with students and does presentations for NZ Esports Federation.

Think about phone use like a game, he suggests. Give yourself an objective, like only looking at a limited number of reels, and reward yourself for following through or get someone to keep track so you don’t cheat.

Their club members can only play on the PCs for up to 10 hours a week – after that the software kicks them out, Johnson says. You can find similar apps for phones.

If you have a personal and work phone, combining them makes you less inclined to pick it up, he says. “I've just gone from thinking I need access to it 24/7 to being like I almost never miss anything. Outside of hours, there's very little that comes through on mobile that you have to actually attend.”

Former high school technology teacher Katrina Colombie has seen how the growth of tech use has shaped classrooms. She’s has seen first-hand how it can be a detriment to behaviour.

Lock boxes are a popular option. “People say their kids give up trying to pry it open then succumb to the fact they've got to move on with their lives, pick up a book, a ball, a pencil, a guitar, a bike.” Some parents have even reinstalled landlines, she says.

The mum of two now helps lead the New Zealand branch of Smartphone-Free Childhood, which encourages parents to sign up to a parent pact – a commitment to delay the age when you give your child a phone.

She emphasises they don’t have not an anti-technology stance but want to empower parents.

OECD data in 2018 showed that youth in Aotearoa used digital devices 42 hours per week on average, compared to 35 hours globally. Parenting Place coach Sheridan Eketone is a mum of four and knows how hard it can be to pull tamariki away from the phone.

There are apps, like Face Surfer, which set up filters for devices and also sets a screen time limit which can prompt the Wi-Fi to stop working.

“I really like technology doing it for us because then it helps us keep our relationship intact, so it's not me marching into the room going, ‘Right, give me the device’.”

Charge phones away from where you spend the most time or leave it in a bag away from you if you want to spend time with the whānau, she says.

One of the easiest things you can do is go outdoors and enjoy nature. But of course, you’ll be tempted to whip out your phone to capture a beautiful scenery. To avoid this problem, mum of three Bree Arnott has invested in a camera.

“Go outside to places where you're likely to get wet or messy. They're the places that you're least likely to want to get your phone out, because if you're around a water body, you're going to be worried about dropping your phone, so clambering around the rocks at the shore, heading out on a stand-up paddleboard or walking on a track which means that you can't be on your phone.”

Arnott is one of the managers at non-profit organisation Whenua Iti Outdoors, which delivers experiential learning programmes for a range of tamariki.

Some of the high school students might be without their phones for up to nine days. It teaches them to build relationships in real-life and understand how to be self-reliant and manage their time.

Psychologist Jackie Riach, who is country lead for parenting programme Triple P, says you need to model good phone use to children. (There’s even a Bluey episode about it).

Be present when you’re at kids' soccer practice or taking a walk with them. Decide as a family on a ‘tech-free time’ – perhaps it’s when you’re playing a game or in the car or having dinner.

“Putting your phone down is, I guess, a little self-talk around this is good for my mental health, this is good for me, this is good for my wellbeing.”