Stage 2 of 7 · 7 lessons · ~1 week

Your attention and your phone

Learn why attention is limited and why switching costs so much, measure your real phone use, and set up your phone and social media so they serve you instead of the other way round.

Start: Attention is limited, and switching costs

Lessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order

Do this

Check a full week of screen time and write down your three numbers
Turn off all notifications except calls and messages from real people
Move distracting apps off your home screen and set daily limits on the worst two
Put your phone out of sight for at least five study or work sessions
Unfollow or mute five accounts that leave you feeling worse
Write when and why you use each social app

Practise

Forest (focus app)
Grows a virtual tree while you stay off your phone, a gentle push for focus sessions

Keep handy

Jeff Su (YouTube channel)
Practical walkthroughs for setting up your phone and tools to distract you less

Also worth your time

Deep Work (Cal Newport)Go deeperPaid
Why focused attention is rare and valuable, and how to protect it from distraction

Before moving on: Your screen time numbers for one week, notifications cut to people only, distracting apps off your home screen, your phone out of sight in at least five focus sessions, and a written plan for when and why you use each social app.

Tauseef's advice

Your phone is not your enemy, but it is built to win every time you fight it with willpower. Change the setup instead: fewer notifications, apps further away, phone in another room. Small barriers do more than big promises.

Struggling right now? If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact local emergency services or a crisis line: Find a helpline (any country), Umang (Pakistan), Tele-MANAS, 14416 (India).