Breaking the Phone Addiction: Reclaiming Control in a World of Distraction
From Constant Connection to Conscious Control
Breaking the Phone Addiction: Reclaiming Control in a World of Distraction
The other day, I caught myself walking around my house with my phone in my hand—without even realizing it. It wasn’t until I stopped and asked myself, Why do I need you in my hand all the time?
When I leave a room and forget my phone, I instinctively run back to grab it. My phone is on ring 90% of the time, so I’d hear if I had a call or message—yet I still check it. Why? It’s not a habit. It’s an addiction. And it needs to be broken.
The Struggle of Setting Boundaries
How do you break an addiction when the thing you’re addicted to is essential for work, communication, and connection? They say if you’re an alcoholic, you don’t work at a bar. But what do you do when your business depends on social media? When your closest family members live far away, and FaceTime is your lifeline? A flip phone isn’t an option. Cutting it out completely isn’t realistic.
So, the only choice is to create boundaries—and actually stick to them.
I remember when former Navy SEAL Taylor Cavanaugh was on the podcast and talked about how easy it was to stay clean and out of trouble when he was away from the environment that caused the problems. But when he came back, he slipped into his old ways. It’s easy to stay disciplined when you’re away from the triggers, when you’re distracted by new surroundings. But what about when you’re back in the thick of it—when the distractions are right in front of you?
Do you give in, or do you stand strong?
Mindless Scrolling vs. Conscious Living
I’ve found myself trapped in the cycle of doom-scrolling more times than I can count. My mind says, That’s enough, but another voice whispers, Just one more video. It’s a tug-of-war between instant gratification and intentional living. And here’s the truth—the one you feed is the one that gets stronger.
Every time I stop, put the phone down, and choose something real—whether it's a conversation, a walk, or simply sitting in silence—I’m not just disconnecting from my phone. I’m building resilience.
Resilience isn’t just about overcoming huge challenges or pushing through extreme situations. It’s forged in these small, everyday moments when you choose to control your impulses. Each time you resist the urge to scroll mindlessly, you’re training your mind to be present, focused, and strong.
I started noticing my phone creeping into everything—even during phone calls. I’d put it on speaker while scrolling through emails or social media. But the reality is, you can’t split your attention and expect to give your best. One thing always suffers. And if you’re giving someone your time, they deserve your full attention. More importantly, you deserve your full attention.
Self-Control is a Muscle
It’s hard to police yourself when you’re the one addicted. But if you’ve followed Mindset Lessons from the Field, you know it’s about being stronger than your thoughts.
YOU control your actions. It doesn’t matter how you feel. It doesn’t matter what thoughts creep in. YOU control YOU.
The more you choose what is necessary over what you want, the stronger you become. Every time you resist the urge to pick up your phone, you’re training self-discipline.
My Rules for Reclaiming Control
Here’s what’s been helping me:
Airplane Mode for Focus: When I go for my morning walk or hit the gym, my phone goes on airplane mode. No emails, no social media, no messages—just me, my workout, and whatever fantasy book I’m listening to.
Nighttime Phone Detox: My phone goes on airplane mode when I start my evening routine, and it stays there until morning. No mindless scrolling before bed, no checking messages the second I wake up.
Leaving My Phone in Another Room: If I don’t need my phone, I leave it behind. The urge to go grab it just because? That’s not a good enough reason.
Turning It Off While Writing: Creativity demands focus. If I’m writing, my phone is off. No distractions, no interruptions.
Resilience is Built in Small Moments
I might not fully kick this addiction—it’s too easy to slip back into always having my phone on me, checking it without thinking. But every time I resist that urge, I’m building resilience & that is what this podcast is all about!!
We talk about this all the time on the podcast, Resilience isn’t just forged through grueling 12-mile rucks. It’s not just built in high-stakes moments.
It’s built every time you choose control when your thoughts and body are working against you.
It’s built when you say no to instant gratification. When you choose to be present. When you fight the small battles that no one sees but make all the difference.
Will I lose sometimes? Yes. Will you? Absolutely. But that’s part of the process. Fail forward. Keep going.
Because the real flex isn’t checking every notification—it’s controlling the urge to check in the first place.
Crazy, we have the exact same phone strategy! The other thing I did was turn off the feature where you phone lights up when you pick it up, which added one more step to reduce me always looking at it. Loved this post, these are great tips!