Keith Negley

Have a healthier relationship with your phone

Unplugging can be impossible. Here’s a guide to using your devices in a way that serves you.

Track your urges. Being conscious of the desire to lift your phone or open social media can awaken the part of your brain that governs self-control and help you rein in bad habits.

Stop on-the-go use. Using devices while on the move — heading to a meeting, walking a child to school — can keep us from being engaged in our lives.

Schedule tiny breaks. Put tech breaks in your calendar. It may feel odd to schedule something like “take a phone-free walk,” an expert said, but it shouldn’t if it’s a priority.

Control your environment. Don’t just rely on willpower. Tweak your surroundings to keep your phone away: Get an alarm clock, delete social media apps or ask a family member to remind you to put the phone down.