Nowadays, smartphones are no different from drugs because most people are addicted to them. Everybody is being befuddled by this potential hazard, especially the younger lots. They just can’t stay away from these gadgets even for a fleeting moment. Quite often, we tend to forget our own indolence and blame social media, gaming apps, and other influences for our addiction. But regardless of our whines, they are here to stay. In the end, it’s all about self-control.
To help curb your smartphone addiction, we came up with a list of smartphone addiction control apps that will detox your smartphone-conscious mind and help you get out of the addiction sooner. Here are our top seven picks:
1. YourHour
This is one of the most downloaded phone addiction control apps on Google Playstore. Trusted by over a million users, this app works great in distancing yourself from your phone. To start with, the app is absolutely awesome due to its user-friendly interface and personalized features.
It keeps track of your usage time and creates a summary of your activity. The app also features six addiction categories through which you can analyze and determine which level you belong to. This way, you can keep track of your phone usage and make improvements. Another nice feature of this app is the Float Timer through which you can see the time slipping by. When activated, this timer will appear on your phone screen and you can drag and drop it anywhere on the screen. Also, the timer will change its color from Green to Amber to Red, indicating that the usage limit has reached.
Basically, this app helps you determine how much time you have spent on each app on your phone. We really like the personalized challenges features. This particular feature is enough to help you overcome your phone addiction.
2. Forest
One of the best productivity apps on Google Playstore, the Forest app is designed to mend your fuzzy mind. Thanks to its wise features, this app has over 10 million downloads on Google Playstore, making it even more convincing.
Talking about its nuts and bolts, the app is very simple and easy to use. All you need to do is plant a seed in the Forest whenever you feel you’re overusing your phone. Now your goal is to wait for the tree to grow. If you are patient and willing to sacrifice some amount of time, the seed will grow to become a tree. The greater your patience, the bigger the forest grows. But if you can’t resist scrolling your phone screen, the tree withers and die, along with your focus and attention. Interesting concept, isn’t it?
Besides, you get to know your effort with every tree you plant. You can also earn rewards through your achievements and unlock adorable trees.
3. StayFree
A very nice app to detox your smartphone-conscious mind and limit your phone usage. The app is extremely fast and comes with a user-friendly interface. Unlike other similar apps, the StayFree app is totally free from ads and provides accurate statistics about your phone usage.
How does it work? Well, this app allows you to set usage limits on apps you choose and then receive alerts and notifications when the app usage exceeds its limit. You can use the Block Mode to temporarily block any apps that you think you’re using excessively.
Also, this app has numerous themes which are customizable as per your likings. Besides the other nice features, the app also offers inspirational quotes that will boost your productivity. You can check your stats in the usage history anytime.
4. SPACE
Formerly known by the name Breakfree, Space is one of the most sought-after mobile addiction control apps on Google Playstore. It has also been featured as an Essential App by Google on the same platform. A habit-breaker app with awesome features, Space helps you balance your life between you and your phone.
The app features customizable tools where you can manage your phone usage effectively. Tools, such as the notification blocker and screen dimming helps you avoid unwanted notifications and keep a check on your unhealthy phone behavior. With Space, you can set your goals, keep track of your progress and share your stats with fellow users around the world.
Space app is free but if you want to experience its extended features, you can purchase the Pro version with a one-time payment of $3.99USD.
5. Lock Me Out
True to its name, this app is strict and keeps you locked out of your device, allowing you to perform other productive activities in the meantime. The app is quite popular among the students’ community because it eliminates distractions and boosts their concentration power.
The app is easy to use and has features that are customizable. Once you set your lock-out mode, your device gets locked, leaving you no option other than to wait. The app features blocked mode and allowed mode which can be used to block or allow a list of apps during the lockout. The usage-based lockout locks your phone based on its usage time. Similarly, the scheduled lockout option allows you to lock your phone for a fixed schedule. Too much lock and locks, right?
If you want to use the strictest mode, you can try the lock screen-only mode. Once set, you can only use the device screen but can still answer calls or make emergency calls. You can also upgrade to the premium version to get unlimited features and ad-free access.
6. AntiSocial
A totally free app with zero ads, Antisocial could become the best tool to minimize distractions and overcome your phone addiction. The app comes with a simple interface and works great in monitoring your device usage.
Unlike other apps, Antisocial is less complicated and gives clear information about your usage and activities. Apps are displayed on the blacklist section where you can block or allow any apps as per your choice. You can use these features to block or disable apps that you find addictive or you can simply restrict your app usage.
The only downside of this app is that the challenges are not strict enough. But performance-wise? Well, the app is superb.
7. My Phone Time
This app is literally your mentor. Not only does it show how much time you spend on your device, but also lets you block addictive apps and serve you as a tool in cutting down that smartphone impulse of yours.
The app allows you to track and measure your activity logs. You can also set daily usage goals to challenge yourself and then achieve them within no time. The app provides detailed overtime analytics of your device usage and quickly tracks your progress on your lock screen.
The app is small in size and comes with a simple user interface. It has over 500,000 downloads and 4-star ratings on Google Playstore.
Conclusion
It is understandable that addiction of any kind is a tough nut to crack, especially with tempting items like smartphones. And, with the world going virtual, it seems impossible to quench the thirst for smartphones. But too much of everything is dangerous. So, to help people overcome this common problem, we conducted a test on several volunteers using the above apps, and surprisingly enough, it worked out really well for most of them.
We hope that this will work out for you too. ”Better late than never”.