The Gadget That Fixed My 8-Hour Screen Time Habit

If you've ever looked at your phone's screen-time report and wondered where the day went, you're not alone. Many people want to stop mindlessly scrolling, but find it challenging to stop. Some Wirecutter staffers have found a solution: The Brick, a physical device that locks you out of the apps you choose.

This episode, Wirecutter senior staff writer Elissa Sanci shares why the Brick worked for her when other approaches didn't. She explains how putting physical distance between herself and her distracting apps helped break the doom-scrolling cycle, how using scheduled "bricking" can protect your workday and mornings, and how families and roommates can share the same device.

This episode covers: 

• Why the Brick works so well. Elissa found that built-in screen-time limits and apps like Opal were too easy to bypass, while the Brick forced her to physically get up and retrieve the device before she could resume scrolling.
• How scheduled bricking protects your time. You can set profiles that automatically block distracting apps during certain hours, including blocking social media before your alarm even goes off so you're not tempted to start the day scrolling.
• How the Brick's limited emergency unbricks work. You get just five emergency ways to unlock your phone when you're away from the device, and Elissa says the scarcity makes her reluctant to waste them.
• Who The Brick is actually useful for. You don't have to be a social-media addict: you can block whatever is distracting you, including work apps outside office hours, and the same device can be shared among multiple people or used by parents and teens.

Products we recommend: 

• A device that blocks your most distracting apps: Brick

Additional reading:

• I Bricked My Phone for 2 Weeks. My Brain Feels Much Better.
• I Revived an Old BlackBerry to Cut Down on Screen Time. Things Went Awry.

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel. Studio support from Maddy Masiello, Nick Pitman, Kyle Grandillo, and Samantha Winter. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Daniel Ramirez, and Sophia Lanman. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast