Our smartphones have become an almost indispensable tool for many of us: we use them for work, for studying, for communicating and for capturing photos and videos of special moments. However, sometimes we can overdo it and use our mobile for longer than we would like.
It’s very easy to get distracted, we have an almost infinite number of games to enjoy on our mobile, access to streaming series and movies and, perhaps worst of all, access to social networks, where many of us waste many minutes every day. I admit that I spend too much time on my mobile, but I have found a solution that, although it is drastic, is also effective and helps me to be more productive.
Detox, an app that prevents you from using your mobile phone
I know, this is a matter of discipline and self-control, but sometimes it’s not a bad idea to use some tool or technique that helps us to be more productive. In my case, an app has become my ally when I want to avoid wasting time during the day or at key moments of each day: Its name is Detox and when you activate it, it prevents you from using your mobile phone..
This application, in essence, blocks access to all the functions of the mobile, or well, almost all of them. Its operation is simple but effective: we choose the amount of time we want to not have access to the mobile and activate the application. When we do so, a counter will appear on the screen and we will not be able to do anything on the mobile, not even check social networks, not even go to WhatsApp to send a message, much less play a game.
The app only allows us to make calls, which is important in case of emergencies. Otherwise, the mobile is almost completely locked until the countdown ends. Almostbecause I found that I can do some very basic things, for example, I can reply to messages from the notification panel and access the camera from the lock screen.
First, we choose the amount of time we want to block the phone and press the lock. Then, we confirm the action and the app will prevent us from using the phone freely during that time.
However, the idea is to avoid falling into temptation and for this app to prevent us from wasting unnecessary time on our mobile, especially at those key moments in our work day, or when we want to disconnect to study for an hour or two without interruptions.
You can download Detox from the Google Play Store from this link. After installing the app, you need to grant the necessary permissions when accessing the app for the first time. From the app’s settings menu, you can configure other options, such as having the app play a sound at the end of each session.
There are those who use a more traditional method to be more productive, such as the Pomodoro method, but personally sometimes I need a more drastic measure, and the fact that this app prevents me from accessing my phone helps me not to waste time at important moments.
Cover photo | Eduardo Marín for Xataka Android