The scary thing about your screen time

It’s been about a year since Apple announced new iOS tools to help iPhone users understand the time they spend on their phones. The idea was to help people manage their screen time and reduce interruptions with things like Activity Reports and App Limits. But are smartphone users actually disciplined enough to use these tools in practice? We polled the PH community.

We specifically asked folks if they use screen time limit notifications on their smartphones. The results:

• 54 percent don’t use screen time limits. 
• 32 percent do use them, but ignore them (yikes). 
• Only 14 percent of smartphone users we polled actually follow the screen time limits they use. 

“I also turned this on for Instagram and Candy Crush. When it cut me off the first time — it was so abrupt (it was like only 10 a.m.!) and I felt cheated. Now it's much much, much easier and most days I don't even get to the time limit anymore.” - Lanre

“I feel guilty for ignoring it sometimes. It somehow already became muscle memory to just ‘Ignore it for 15 minutes.’" - Kevin

“I use this for Instagram — but I pretty much always hit the time limit and ignore it” - Taylor

“I didn't know they made notifications, I just check the screen time hours each week! I'm going to start using them though” - Sarah

Do you use screen time limits? Take the poll.

If Apple’s built-in screen monitoring tools don’t work for you, here are a few alternatives to consider:

⏰ Screentime is a Chrome extension to track your time on websites

🚫 Go Fucking Work is a website blocker to help you work smarter

📱 Detoxify creates fake apps to replace addictive apps

📹 YouTube Rabbit Hole limits you from going down a YouTube rabbit hole

👀 Trackr helps you track the time you spend on certain websites

📈 Rescue Time gives you analytics on your daily online habits

⏳ Hours is a sleek and simple time tracker

Control Your Screen Time

Did you know it takes 23 minutes to refocus each time you get distracted? And the modern work environment is increasingly full of distractions, both on-screen and off-screen. This deteriorates our ability to focus and has negative effects on our health. 

There’s no shortage of productivity tools out there today that address these issues. But most solve a piece of the problem – they block websites or play concentration music – rather than solve the entire problem.

Enter: Serene. Serene is the first app to create an optimal digital environment for undisturbed deep work. 

How it works: Serene shields you from digital distractions and enables you to do your best work. It also organizes your day around your most important goal, all in one click. 

Combining over a dozen focus-enhancing techniques, Serene will:

• Prompt you to plan your day around one clear goal that matters
• Break your day into clearly defined intervals of focused work
• Block access to distracting websites and apps during focus sessions
• Plan ahead, track your productivity & identify common distractions
• Enhance your concentration with focus music

Pro tip: They’re giving 500 PH users free access to the Pro version of Serene, which comes with additional features like web hooks and phone silencing. All you have to do is download Serene and use the promo code: PRODUCTHUNT to subscribe to the Pro-Plan.