The Distance Method

A simple, science-backed practice: by keeping your phone out of sight and out of reach, you reduce triggers, regain control of your time, and reconnect with what truly matters.

🌟 Positive Impact

Just a little distance makes a big difference. Keeping your phone out of reach helps break the cycle of mindless checks, lowers stress, and opens more space for meaningful activities and relationships.

• • Less chance of mindless scrolling

• • More room for meaningful activities (reading, cooking, music, sports, chess, time with children or friends, conversations)

• • Lower stress and anxiety through real presence

📊 Key Facts

What Science Says

• • NOMOPHOBIA is recognized as a psychological condition (National Library of Medicine, 2017)

• • 47% of adults feel anxious without their phone (Pew Research Center, 2021)

• • “Awe walks” reduce stress and boost wellbeing (UC San Francisco, 2020)

• • 3+ hours/day of screen time is linked to higher stress and lower life satisfaction (APA, 2022)

🔬 Why it Works

Habits are often triggered by visual and physical cues. If the phone is visible, your brain associates it with instant dopamine rewards. Hiding it, or placing it in another room, reduces this trigger and gives your attention space to flow toward healthier, more fulfilling activities. Researchers have shown that distance and “awe walks” — intentional moments of noticing and appreciating surroundings — both reduce stress, increase focus, and improve mood.

🛠 How to Apply

1. 1. Start small: Leave your phone behind for a short outing (walk, groceries, dinner with a friend).

1. 1. Hide it at home: Place your phone in a drawer, another room, or turned face down out of sight to remove the visual trigger.

1. 1. Replace the habit: Use no-phone time for activities that recharge you — read a book, cook, play music, do sports, play chess, or share time with children, friends, or a partner.

1. 1. Expand gradually: Increase the length of these no-phone sessions until they become natural parts of your routine.

📋 Methodology

• • Hide your phone to reduce visual triggers

• • Pair distance with enriching activities (reading, cooking, sports, social time)

• • Reflect on what you gained from each phone-free moment

💡 Attentive Tip

Keep your phone out of sight, not just out of hand. Even a small barrier — a drawer, another room — makes a big difference. Track your no-phone moments with Attentive and celebrate the activities that fill the space.

⚙️ Helpful Tools

• • Attentive — Phone-Free Breaks Tracker

• • Analog alarm clock (to keep phones out of bedrooms)

• • Box, drawer, or dedicated spot to hide your phone

❓ FAQ

Is it safe to leave my phone at home? Yes — begin with short, low-risk outings. Over time, you’ll feel less anxious about separation. What if I need my phone for emergencies? Carry a basic phone or smartwatch for calls only, while leaving your smartphone behind.

🏆 Master Mode

Ready for the next level? Increase the physical effort it takes to reach your phone. The harder it is to access, the easier it is to break the habit.

• • High Shelf Challenge: Place your phone on top of a tall cabinet or wardrobe — out of sight and out of easy reach.

• • Upstairs Storage: Keep your phone on another floor of your house so reaching it requires a deliberate effort.

• • Hidden Spot: Place it in a box, closet, or drawer you rarely open.

Master Mode is about increasing the “activation energy” needed to grab your phone, making it less tempting and freeing more time for what truly matters.

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🔗 Related Practices

• The Meal Focus Method 🥗
• The Bathroom Ceremony