I\u2019m far from alone. According to Ofcom<\/a>, the average UK woman now spends 4.75 hours a day online outside of work, despite fewer than 30% of us believing being online is good for our mental health. And whilst I\u2019ve tried screen time limits, app blockers and phone-free bedrooms, they tend to work only until muscle memory kicks in and I tap \u201cignore\u201d on autopilot.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Like most of us, I can\u2019t go off-grid (my job and social life rely on my phone), but something had to change. I don\u2019t want digital abstinence, but I do want my attention span back.<\/p>\n Which is how I found myself testing Brick<\/a>, a palm-sized app-blocking device that\u2019s been all over my feed. And after a month of using it, I\u2019m buying one for everyone I know. To find out how I got on (yes, this does require one last scroll), keep reading.<\/p>\n And for more healthy habits to kickstart your 2026, check out our beginner guides to brain dumping<\/a>, meditation<\/a>, finding your flow state<\/a> and manifesting like a neuroscientist<\/a>. Plus, if you\u2019re looking for a healthier way to multitask, discover what happened when one writer started treadmill reading for a week<\/a>.<\/p>\n This Tiny App-Blocking Device Did What My Willpower Couldn\u2019t – And Now I Couldn\u2019t Live Without ItWhat is the Brick app-blocking device?<\/p>\n The brainchild of two University of Wisconsin graduates, Brick arrived on the digital wellness scene in 2023 and has been making its way across our feeds ever since.<\/p>\n In short, it\u2019s a small grey square that fits in the palm of your hand, designed to physically block distracting apps on your phone. Brick connects to a free app, where you choose exactly which apps you want to block when it\u2019s activated. Think: social media during work hours, WhatsApp during dinner, or everything-but-Spotify when you\u2019re exercising.<\/p>\n You can create multiple custom modes – deep work, family time, workouts<\/a> – each with different apps blocked, depending on what you\u2019re trying to protect your attention from (or for).<\/p>\n The key difference between Brick and other screen time solutions is that it isn\u2019t just another app living on your phone. To activate it, you physically tap your phone against the Brick itself, at which point the selected apps are blocked. To undo it, you have to do the same thing again. The idea is that you leave the Brick in another room, meaning any override requires you to get up, walk over, and make a very conscious decision to unblock yourself.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n \u201cApp blockers live on the same phone they\u2019re trying to control, which makes them easy to bypass,\u201d TJ Driver, Co-Founder of Brick, tells me. \u201cYou can\u2019t use software to fight software. Brick puts you back in control by forcing a pause, giving you a moment to make an intentional choice.\u201d<\/p>\n What are the benefits of reducing your screen time?<\/p>\n Ever feel like you can\u2019t fully focus on anything because you\u2019re always half-looking for the next distraction? According to clinical psychologist and performance consultant, Dr Matt Slavin<\/a>, that\u2019s your cue to step away from your screen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe call this state \u2018continual partial attention,\u2019 he says. \u201cIt might feel productive, but in fact it drains cognitive resources dramatically.\u201d<\/p>\n Mindset coach and author of Prioritise This<\/a>, Lily Silverton,<\/a> agrees. \u201cOur brains like newness, but our time and attention are limited resources. It\u2019s our job in today\u2019s distraction-filled world to curb that.\u201d<\/p>\n This is why, when people reduce their screen time, Slavin says they often notice what he describes as a \u2018cognitive exhale\u2019. \u201cWithout the constant pull of devices, the nervous system is able to settle, and the mind begins to function in a more coherent, steady way,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n Professionally, that tends to show up as greater productivity and mental clarity. \u201cGiving the brain the opportunity to enter deeper, more sustained periods of attention often translates to stronger output, clearer thinking and work that feels more satisfying and less effortful,\u201d Slavin says.<\/p>\n And personally? \u201cPeople report feeling calmer, more emotionally regulated and more present in their relationships,\u201d Slavin adds. Silverton concurs, pointing to social media in particular. \u201cOn social media, we\u2019re comparing our real lives to other people\u2019s highlight lives, which often leads to comparison, which can impact our mental health and resilience,\u201d she says. \u201cThe less we scroll, the more connected we can become to our own tastes and preferences, which improves mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s also a sense of control and intentionality that comes with reducing your screen time,\u201d Slavin adds. \u201cRather than feeling pulled around by your device, you\u2019re giving your brain the cue that \u2018all is safe\u2019, and there\u2019s no need for constant scanning and alertness.\u201d<\/p>\n What do the experts think of app-blocking devices?<\/p>\n In a world full of gimmicks promising to fix our wellbeing overnight, I\u2019m naturally wary of any new tech that claims to be the solution. But refreshingly, the experts are broadly on board with the concept of app-blocking devices.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can be surprisingly effective because they work with, rather than against, our evolutionary wiring\u201d says Dr Slavin.<\/p>\n He explains that most of us don\u2019t struggle with screen time because we lack willpower, but because dopamine-driven cues, like our smartphones, are uniquely compelling to the human brain. \u201cWe are not biologically designed to ignore something that looks socially relevant or potentially rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n So if you\u2019ve ever felt frustrated with yourself for scrolling again, it\u2019s worth remembering: this isn\u2019t a personal failing. Our phones tap directly into survival mechanisms baked into how our brains are wired.<\/p>\n What app-blocking devices do well, Dr Slavin says, is introduce just enough friction to interrupt that automatic behaviour. \u201cA small increase in friction, for example, needing to retrieve a device from another room, or physically locking it away, is often enough to disrupt the automatic habit loop,\u201d he explains. \u201cThey create an environmental boundary which behavioural science<\/a> consistently shows is one of the most reliable ways to change behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Dr Slavin, devices like Brick tend to work particularly well for people who need periods of deep focus (arguably most of us), those prone to stress and burnout, and, perhaps most notably, teenagers. \u201cDuring adolescence, our reward systems are particularly sensitised to digital input,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n Expert tips to manage your screentime:<\/p>\n The key to managing your screen time is to work with your brain, rather than against it, explains Dr Slavin, who shares his top tips for doing just that.<\/p>\n 1. Create phone-free zones<\/p>\n \u201cOur brains follow physical boundaries more easily than abstract rules,\u201d Slavin says, which is why \u201cestablishing specific places or times of day where screens simply aren\u2019t present\u201d can make a huge difference to your temptation to scroll.<\/p>\n This is where devices like the Brick can be particularly effective, creating physical separation between you and your phone. But you don\u2019t need one. Slavin suggests that simply rearranging your home screen can also help. \u201cWe call this reducing open loops,\u201d he says. \u201cMoving distracting apps off of your home screen removes the cue, which often eliminates the urge to scroll entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Create digital rhythms<\/p>\n \u201cOur brain thrives on routine,\u201d says Slavin, so \u201ccreating predictable rhythms around your digital use will help you to feel more settled.\u201d One of his key suggestions? Batch your emails or social media scrolls into specific windows of the day, and try to avoid screens during the early morning and late evening.<\/p>\n \u201dProtecting the first and last hour of the day from screens can make a dramatic difference to your emotional steadiness, as this is when your nervous system is most impressionable,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n 3. Replace, rather than remove, your scroll<\/p>\n Studies<\/a> show that it\u2019s easier to break a habit when you replace it with something healthier, a tactic Slavin tells us is called habit substitution. This absolutely applies to screen time.<\/p>\n \u201cIf scrolling is how someone copes with stress, boredom, or transition, they usually need a regulating alternative,\u201d he says. His suggestions? A short walk, a quick breathing exercise, or some gentle movement, all of which can replace the kick of dopamine we get from our devices.<\/p>\n I bricked my phone for a month – and my productivity soaredWeeks one and two<\/p>\n When I first tried the Brick device, I was mainly hoping it would help me get better at focusing on work. I\u2019m guilty of constantly checking emails, hunting for anything new or exciting, which drags me away from the story I\u2019m supposed to be writing. Then, of course, there\u2019s the temptation of Instagram notifications or TikTok videos. So, my first move was setting up a \u201cdeep work\u201d mode, blocking WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok.<\/p>\n And it really worked. In the first week, I noticed how often I reached for my phone when I got even a little bored or stuck in my writing. But the physical distance between my phone and me (I\u2019d leave the Brick upstairs while I was downstairs working) made me stop in my tracks and rethink whether I needed to scroll. At first, I\u2019d occasionally walk upstairs to override the block, but after about a week, I found I stopped reaching for my phone altogether.<\/p>\n Brick\u2019s strict mode, which prevents you from disabling the permissions on the app, sounds like something that might be helpful, but honestly, I didn\u2019t find I needed it. The physical separation alone was enough to do the trick for me.<\/p>\n \n Ashleigh left the Brick screen time device in other rooms so she couldn\u2019t automatically reach for it to unblock her phone<\/p>\n (Image credit: Ashleigh Spiliopoulou)<\/p>\n By week two, I was sold on Brick\u2019s power. I decided to test it out for something else I\u2019ve struggled with: sleep. I\u2019m terrible for scrolling when I can\u2019t sleep, despite the fact that I\u2019ve set screen time limits for TikTok<\/a> after 9:30 pm and always try to put my phone on aeroplane mode overnight.<\/p>\n So, I decided to set up a \u201csleep mode\u201d on the Brick, where I could still use my phone for Spotify sleep music, but couldn\u2019t access any social media. My thoughts? Total game changer. Being able to play my white noise frequencies meant I slept way deeper, and when I woke up in the night, I wasn\u2019t hijacked by my phone. For once, my brain actually stayed calm enough to go back to sleep.<\/p>\n Weeks three and four<\/p>\n By week three, I was so impressed with how well Brick had worked for my focus and sleep that I got mode-happy and started creating settings for other parts of my day. I set up specific modes for social time, like catching up with friends, watching TV, or even making dinner.<\/p>\n Slowly but surely, the urge to scroll started to fade across all areas of my life, and the relief was enormous. By the final week of the month, it had become second nature to \u201cbrick\u201d my phone outside of designated scroll windows. It felt incredibly freeing not to be constantly tethered to my device.<\/p>\n Of course, there are exceptions, and sometimes you need to be flexible with your screen time. Over the month, there were a couple of occasions when I needed social media for work, like contacting an expert or finding a piece of research. For those moments, I had to break my Brick, but overall, I\u2019ve found the balance to be manageable.<\/p>\n Looking back now, I can honestly say the experience has been revolutionary for me. Brick isn\u2019t a magic wand, and how effective it is will ultimately depend on your own willpower.<\/p>\n But for me, it\u2019s become my trusty sidekick, helping me reclaim my attention span. I can sit through an entire movie without reaching for my phone (revolutionary, I know), and I\u2019m more present with the people I love. I\u2019ve also noticed I get tasks done much faster. My brain feels clearer, less cluttered. I\u2019m focusing on one thing at a time, and it feels like the mental chaos of constantly switching between apps has just melted away. And guess what? No one\u2019s annoyed at me for being slower to reply to emails or texts\u2026 yet.<\/p>\n Shop MC UK approved productivity tools now: \n <\/a><\/p>\n Freedom from distraction is in the palm of your hand with this tiny device. With an inbuilt magnet, stick it anywhere, zone in and get that to-do list done. It feels like the Tamagotchi of productivity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n <\/a><\/p>\n Prioritise This by Lily Silverton<\/p>\n I\u2019m a big fan of being reminded of the basics from time to time, and that\u2019s exactly what Silverton does so well. Straightforward, practical and relatable, Silverton keeps you with the theory and the tools to unlock energy and focus. Needed as we head into January.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n <\/a><\/p>\n Papier journals have long been a go-to of Team MC UK’s – easy to use, great for boosting productivity, and aesthetically pleasing, to boot. <\/p>\n Is my screen time a problem?<\/p>\n If you\u2019re wondering whether your screen time might be a problem, that\u2019s probably a good sign that it is. But if you need more concrete indicators, mindset coach and author of Prioritise This<\/a>, Lily Silverton,<\/a> says that these are some helpful signs to look out for.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re unable to go for any period of time without your phone, if it\u2019s disrupting your sleep, or if it\u2019s negatively impacting your work or relationships, these are all signs that your screen time may be out of control,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n Small doses of screen time aren\u2019t inherently bad, she reassures. But it\u2019s important to remember that \u201cour screens separate you from real life, removing you from your physical self and regular interactions with other people.\u201d Being mindful of how much time you\u2019re spending in the virtual world versus the real one is essential for maintaining good mood, sleep, relationships, and productivity. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/QhSPtxvWSfEvsCZzmsDRTe.jpg\")
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