What advice would you give a friend who feels they check their phone too much?

B Natural answer

I’d suggest they start by noticing when the habit shows up. A lot of the time, people check their phone when they’re bored, anxious, or avoiding a task. Once they see the pattern, it becomes easier to change. A practical step is to set clear check-in times and leave the phone on silent between them. I’d also recommend to keep it in another room during meals or when they need to focus, because if it’s next to you, you’ll probably reach for it without thinking. And if they want extra motivation, they can use screen-time limits for a week and see what happens. The goal isn’t to hate the phone. It’s just to make sure they’re the one deciding when to use it, not every app they open.

Key phrases in this answer

• set clear check-in times — choose specific times to look at your phone“I set clear check-in times so I’m not checking my phone all day.”
• keep it in another room — leave the phone somewhere else so it is harder to grab“I keep it in another room during dinner.”
• screen-time limits — restrictions on how long or how often you can use a device“I use screen-time limits to stop myself from scrolling too long.”
• non-urgent notifications — alerts that can wait and do not need immediate attention“I turned off non-urgent notifications so I could focus.”
• cut back a little — reduce the amount slightly“I’m trying to cut back a little on social media.”
• phone-free time — a period when you do not use your phone“We had phone-free time at dinner.”