How I Turned My iPhone From a Distraction Into a Tool

Like many other people, and probably you too, my phone has been a double-edged sword.

On one hand, it's a fantastic work machine. But then, it's also a constant source of distraction.

I've tried a few approaches to address this problem, such as turning my phone into a dumb phone or using the distraction as a useful activity.

These approaches do help minimise distractions, but they're not effective at keeping me from tapping an incoming notification or just swiping away to a social media app.

But recently, I started using an approach via a lesser-known iOS feature that is proving to be the last piece of this puzzle.

In this blog post, we will discuss the problem in detail, the solution I apply, and how you can implement it in your workflow.

Let's start with:

The attention-retention problem

A popular way to minimise distractions on an iPhone is to turn it into a dumb phone, keeping only a minimal set of useful apps on the home screen in the most boring way possible. Thus, the phone behaves as a tool rather than being a slot machine for your attention:

I tried this technique a few years ago using iOS Focus modes, and while it did work to an extent, it left a few loopholes open.

Even though the home screen was restricted to the apps I needed for work and felt very focused, I could still access the notification screen, the lock screen and the control panel, and I could launch any app via Spotlight at any time.

So while working, I can easily switch to Threads and start doomscrolling when I feel stuck or bored.

It was a light measure that relied heavily on willpower.

Then, sometime later, I added another filter on top of this setup.

I created an automation on my iPhone to redirect me to the Reeder app when I opened Threads or other social media apps during specific focus modes like Work or Personal.

This enhanced the experience because as soon as I open Threads, I'm redirected to the Reeder app and my brain immediately switches to reading mode instead of doomscrolling.

But again, distractions find their way in. When social media apps are off-limits, even mundane apps, such as Gmail or Music, become a place to kill boredom.

With attention spans sinking worldwide, staying focused on a single thing can be challenging if the activity fails to keep us engaged constantly.

While reading an article, I would get a sudden urge to check the lock screen for notifications or swipe away from the reading app and casually open something else.