Putting the Phone on a Short Break
The first part of this experiment was simple: pull the phone out of your pocket and put it on a table.
The second part is to keep that table in a place you can see the whole room from, so you don’t fall into the habit of scrolling while eating or watching TV.
The author did exactly that, calling it a “Scroll Phone” and the spot a “Scrolly Chair.”
They also added a little piggy phone stand as a reminder that the device should only be used for short bursts, not all day.
The Problem
More time on social media = less fulfillment
Endless streams of cooking videos and fashion ads made the author feel disconnected from their own life, as if everyone else was having fun while they were stuck in a loop.Tricks failed
Deleting accounts, turning the phone to grayscale, setting app timers—all led back to scrolling.
The urge was compared to a nicotine craving: the check‑phone impulse returned repeatedly, even after short breaks.
The Solution
Separate the device
- Moved all social media apps to an old phone that only had Wi‑Fi.
- The device was kept in a designated spot and could only be used while sitting on the Scrolly Chair.
Physical barrier
By keeping the phone off their main device, they made it easier to keep scrolling at a minimum.Inspired by community action
A local NYC group posts flyers reminding people that “not everything is online.”
The Scroll Phone became a tangible reminder of that idea.Controlled use
- Social media is now used only on a computer or in short sessions.
- Anxiety from notifications has diminished.
Takeaway
The experiment isn’t a universal cure, but it demonstrates that simple changes—moving a phone to a specific spot and limiting its use—can break the habit of endless scrolling.
By taking control over where and how we use technology, we can reclaim time for real life moments instead of virtual ones.
