Control your phone use with grayscale
Why grayscale works and how to do it
Control your phone use and be more productive.
(Notice it’s “control” your phone use - not “limit”…there is a difference).
You can control your screen time by putting your phone into grayscale.
Keep reading to see why this works and how to do it.
We ❤️ phones
Phones.
We love ‘em. We hate ‘em. We know we’re addicted, but we also need them.
Phones are cool.
When people talk about phone use, it’s always about how we use them too much.
That creates guilt.
And let’s be honest - phones aren’t going away.
We use our phones too much. But phones are awesome technology.
Both of these statements are true. And it’s okay to admit that.
That’s why it’s important to focus on controlling your phone time instead of limiting your phone time.
It’s okay to use your phone as much as you want or need to, but make sure you’re in control.
How?
Simply put your phone into grayscale mode, and this will give you more control over how much you use it.
Why this works
Phones are designed to get our attention because they give us dopamine hits and because they’re made to be stimulating.
Going grayscale works because it subverts this design.
TLDR: It’s less tempting to look at a boring, gray screen.
For example, smartphones are like slot machines. They pay us rewards.
Sometimes.
We check our phone because we might see a new message or a new ‘like’ to that post we just made.
But most of the time we don’t see anything new…or at least nothing interesting. So we keep checking. And checking.
And checking.
But it’s that promise of dopamine that keeps us coming back.
We ❤️ shiny
And it feels dumb to admit it, but we’re tempted to look at our phones so much because they’re so visually stimulating.
Simple as.
Our animal brains love phones because they’re bright and shiny.
(Have you ever noticed that the latest phone updates mostly come down to the camera and how good the screen looks)?
We like bright and shiny things. We have ever since our primitive ancestors stared up at the night sky in wonder and fear, and it’s why even the biggest nerd loves a flashy sports car.
Bright and shiny wins 90% of the time.
And your phone is primed to deliver bright and shiny colors that make your brain go zing! and keep the dopamine coming.
It sounds dumb because this is the lizard part of the brain we’re talking about it. But we’ve all got it, and we’re all motivated by it.
Smart enough to admit
Most of us are aware of this dynamic, but there’s this paradox where most people think that they’re smart enough to avoid it.
This is called the Dunning-Kruger effect. It happens when a person thinks they’re smarter about or more capable of doing something than they really are.
We’re biased to think good things about ourselves, so while we know that other people are addicted to their phones, we like to think that we’re not.
Oh and yesterday when you spent two hours playing Stardew Valley? Well, that was just an off day.
The fact is, we’re all guilty of phone addiction.
And phones are useful tools, but if you think any tech is just neutral, then you’re fooling yourself.
Tech companies are some of the wealthiest companies to ever exist in human history. They spend billions of dollars and employ thousands of hyper intelligent engineers to achieve one goal.
That’s to capture your attention.
No matter how smart you are, you're not gonna make it if you rely on willpower alone.
But if you’re one of the smart ones, then you can realize this dynamic and sidestep it.
And you can do that by pushing a button.
How to do it
Just set your phone to grayscale. When your screen is gray, it will be less tempting to look at and play with your phone throughout the day. That’s because it’s boring.
Less stimulating = less addictive.
You can still use your phone whenever you want. It’s a tool you need. Use it guilt-free.
But you won’t be controlled by that subconscious temptation to constantly check and look at it.
Apple iOS
Go to settings -> accessibility -> display text & size -> color filters turn on and select grayscale
Android
Swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers -> tap the pen icon -> locate grayscale and drag into your tiles list -> tap the icon to enable grayscale mode when desired
Attention matters
When you control your attention, you control your time and energy.
When you control your time and energy, you’re able to get more done.
And when you want to increase productivity in more areas of your life, I can help. I’ll give you a strategy for creating lasting habits where it matters to you. Professional. Financial. Personal.
Work with Anthony and hit the rocket fuel 🚀button on your success!
Click below to schedule your free strategy call and apply for 1:1 coaching:
