j WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT ?
Let ’ s face it . Now is not the time for drastic behaviour . We NEED our phones , but we NEED to manage it better .
Australia ’ s 7 Network Sunrise host , Edwina Bartholomew , confessed to being a phone addict and is taking steps to fix it this year . “ It ’ s time to come clean ,” she said . Her expert tip is using ‘ Downtime ’ on her iPhone ( Go to settings , Screen Time and set your scheduled phone switch-off period ).
GQ Magazine Australia offers 10 expert tips to reset bad screen habits in 2025 :
Move your phone to the other side ( or out ) of
1 your bedroom If it ’ s not next to you , you might access it less , because getting out of bed is hard work .
Don ’ t carry it around all the time either
2
Block out occasions , like during meals , when you leave your phone elsewhere or charge it in a different room .
Put a sock in your notifications
3
Access the app settings on your phone and be selective about which ones you want push notifications from . Pete Etchells , professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University , and the author of Unlocked : The Real Science of Screen Time , only has WhatsApp notifications turned on , so he can stay in touch with family . He says that you have to make a distinction between what is more and less important to you .
Get off ( some ) social media platforms
4
You ’ ll probably want to be on a few social media platforms for work and for fun , but it might be true that you ’ re probably on more than is necessary .
Change your phone ’ s screen colour
5
Strange strategy , but it ’ s worth a try . Most smartphones have a greyscale feature , which turns the screen black and white , making it less attractive . Another common smartphone feature is night shift mode , where blue light is filtered out of your display to help you get to sleep .
Do an algorithm cleanse
6
A step that ’ s a bit less drastic than a full digital detox is to do an “ algorithm cleanse ”, where you avoid specific platforms altogether . Apps like TikTok and Spotify continuously cram your feeds with selected content .
Be mindful ( as always )
7
Being mindful and reflective about how you use your phone is to realise when you ’ re going down the rabbit hole and scrolling mindlessly just for the sake of it . Then you ( should ) know , it ’ s time to switch off .
Narrate your phone usage – perhaps silly ?
8
You ’ ll probably feel silly doing this , but narrating your actions step by step brings home a message of accountability and awareness .
Start small – baby steps
9
Adapting to little changes might be easier than making Big Kahuna changes . Small tweaks you can stick to are much better than significant changes that are just unobtainable .
Don ’ t feel guilty
10
The modern conversation around digital technology often results in “ a sense of guilt or shame ”. Don ’ t feel like you need to give up tech completely , just be aware of when it changes from a fun activity into a compulsion .
Let ’ s get honest and make a change . Say after me : “ My name is ( insert name and surname here ) and I ’ m a phone addict .” S
30 Executive PA | Autumn Issue 2025