Doing ‘Phone-Free’ February May Reset Your Health

If you love a challenge, it might be time to jump on the latest trend: Phone-Free February.

This global campaign challenges you to ditch your smartphone for a full 28 days with the aim of improving your mental health.

If giving up your smartphone entirely feels overwhelming, you can also try the Phoneflex challenge, which encourages you to cut down and be more intentional about your smartphone use. 

In a time when Americans spend about five hours a day looking at their phones and feel the need to check them 205 times per day on average, experts agreed that practicing any form of smartphone restraint is a good thing.

How Reducing Smartphone Use Affects Mental Health

Smartphones and social media apps aren’t inherently “bad,” but they are engineered to grab our attention, Susan Albers-Bowling, PsyD, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Wooster Family Health Center, told Verywell.

“The good news is that even a mini break from our phones can be like a magic wand to your mental health,” Albers-Bowling said. “Research shows digital detoxes reduce stress, decrease depression and anxiety, improve sleep, and boost mindfulness.” 

Even lessening your use for a short period of time can have major benefits, she added. 

“Studies have shown that just one week off can significantly reduce your stress level,” Albers-Bowling said. “Even a three-day intermission can lead to significant benefits.”

But, if you are able to make major smartphone changes for a month, you’re more likely to see long-lasting results, she added. You might not miss that quick dopamine hit from your favorite social media app. 

“My clients who have tried this have repeatedly been surprised by the transition,” said Albers-Bowling “They report an increase in productivity and focus and don’t miss social media posts as much as they imagine they would. They often continue with more phone boundaries rather than breaking up with their phone totally.”

How To Cut Back on Your Smartphone Use

If you’re looking to cut back on smartphone use, don’t go “cold turkey” since it can lead to feelings of loneliness. 

“For this reason, gradual changes work best,” said Albers-Bowling. “In fact, studies have shown that reducing social media use to just 30 minutes a day can significantly boost wellbeing.”

To get started, she suggested these 10 steps:

1. Turn off non-essential notifications
2. Use grayscale on your phone screen
3. Put your phone in another room during meals and when you’re sleeping
4. Put barriers between yourself and the phone, such as putting it in a handbag away from you
5. Delete social media apps for at least 48 hours before reinstalling
6. Use a password instead of face ID
7. Replace 10 minutes of scrolling with another habit, such as going for a walk
8. Track your smartphone usage
9. Check in with yourself when you’re thinking about picking up your phone
10. Reach out to people via calling, emailing, or even writing a card

“If you find that you are really struggling being phone-free, that it triggers other addictive behaviors or strong emotions like anxiety, depression or loneliness, don’t hesitate to reach out to a therapist,” she said. “They can help you to change your relationship to your phone and build healthy new habits.” 

Why Smartphones Are So Distracting 

The dings, buzzes, likes, and unlimited videos on your phone apps can become “like a slot machine for your brain” that rewards certain behaviors such as scrolling or liking a post, said Aaron P. Brinen, PsyD, an assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

It’s a process called the “reinforcement schedule,” where a pleasant stimulus, such as discovering the most adorable puppy video on TikTok, pushes you to open the app over and over again. Simply opening your phone and anticipating that dopamine hit can give you a little rush, Brinen added.

People also tend to look at their phones to offset negative feelings, such as boredom. Again, the relief that looking at your phone gives at that moment reinforces the behavior.

“If I’m feeling really agitated…and I check my smartphone and I see a message, and that bad feeling goes down, I’m more likely to check my smartphone,” Brinen said. “And that’s the basis of addiction.”

So, whether you decide to put your phone away for the entire month of February or limit your social media scrolling, you’re bound to feel less stressed come March.