Ooma VoIP Phone
  • Business
    • Business Phone Systems
    • Enterprise Communications
    • POTS Replacement
    • Internet Service
    • Solutions
    • Industries
    Business
    • Hospitality

    • Dental

    • Real Estate

    • Insurance

    • See All Industries

  • Residential
    • Home Phone Service
    • Home Security Systems
    Residential
  • Shop
    • Home Phone
    • Home Security
    • Business Phone
  • Partners
    • Why Ooma
    • Channel Partners
    • Carriers
    • VAR Partners
    • Resellers
    • ISP Partners
  • SALES: 877-353-5168
  • Log in
    • My Ooma Telo
    • My Ooma Office
    • Partner's Login
  • Search Button
  • Cart Button
    0

    Your Cart

    Your cart is empty.
Search

More results...

  • Products
    • Overview
    • Ooma Telo
    • Ooma Telo Air
    • Ooma Telo + HD3 Handset
    • Ooma Telo LTE
      with Battery Backup
    • Ooma Retro
      Phone Bundles
    • Senior Home Phone
    • Home Office Phone
    • Family Phone
  • Basic Plan
  • Premier Plan
  • Accessories
  • Resources
    • Smart Home Devices
    • Home Phone Savings
    • Home Phone Numbers
    • Mobile Calling App
    • Landline Alternative
    • Enhanced 911
    • Starlink
    • Home Phone Blog
    • Consumer Reports
  • International Calling
  • Reviews
  • Faqs
  • Shop Now
Search

More results...

  • Small Business Phone Service +
    • Business Phone
    • Features
    • Industries
    • VoIP Phone Systems
    • Cloud Systems
    • Plans
    • Savings Calculator
    • Setup
    • Choose a Number
    • Demo
    • Build Your Own
    • Mobile App
    • International
    • Business Blog
    • Reviews
    • Faqs
    • Locations
    • Buy
  • Enterprise +
    • Enterprise Communications
    • Features
    • Pricing
    • Solutions
    • Enterprise VoIP
    • Marketplace
    • Faqs
    • Become a Partner
  • POTS Replacement +
    • POTS Replacement
    • Remote Device Management
    • Compliance
    • Resources
    • FAQs
    • Partner With Us
  • Internet Service +
    • Ooma Connect
    • Backup Internet
    • Check Coverage
    • Check Speed
    • Data Usage Calculator
    • Managed WiFi
  • Solutions

  • Industries

  • Home Phone +
    • Home Phone Service
    • Residential VoIP
    • Products +
      • Overview
      • Ooma Telo
      • Ooma Telo Air
      • Ooma Telo LTE with Battery Backup
      • Ooma Retro Phone Bundles
      • Senior Home Phones
      • Home Office Phone
    • Free Service
    • Premier Service
    • Accessories
    • Home Phone Savings
    • Ooma Phone Number
    • Home Phone Blog
    • International Calling
    • Reviews
    • Faqs
    • Buy Now
  • Home Security Systems +
    • Home Security
    • Plans
    • Features
    • Professional Monitoring
    • Build Your Own System
    • Mobile App
    • Videos
    • Works With
    • Home Security Blog
    • Reviews
    • Faqs
    • Buy Now
  • Log in +
    • My Ooma Telo
    • My Ooma Office
    • Partner's Login
  • Shop +
    • Buy Home Phone
    • Buy Home Security
    • Buy Business Phone
  • Support +
    • Business Phone
    • Home Phone
    • Smart Security
  • About +
    • Blog
    • Careers
    • Company
    • Contact
    • FAQs
    • Forums
    • Investors
    • Legal
    • Partners
    • Press
    • Team
OOMA Blog : home phone

7 tips on how to break cellphone addiction

Jim Gustke profile image
Jim Gustke
June 6, 2023 | 3 min read

Cellphone overuse, especially when it comes to social media, is getting a lot of news coverage lately, and rightly so. We’ve learned that too much of a good thing can harm both our physical and mental health. While smartphones entertain and delight us, they can also distract us, raise our anxiety levels and be a time-suck.

So how do we move from identifying the problems to solving them? Here are seven ways to rein in those powerful beasts and show them who’s in control:

1. Put yourself on a cellphone diet.

Limit the times you check your email, news feeds, social apps to specific periods during the day—and do your best to adhere to those times.

Some find value in phone fasts where they totally abstain from using their cellphone for one day each week. If that’s too big a step, start out by placing your phone in another room when you are working, dining with the family or going to bed.

2. Turn your phone off when socializing in person.

Give your friends special attention by focusing on the conversation and not the buzz of your phone. After all the texts it took to set the date, you all deserve some uninterrupted time to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.

If turning off your phone is too scary, simply put your phone on silent mode and hide it in your pocket or purse.

3. Set an example.

How many times have you been informed by a spouse or roommate that your cellphone just chirped or lit up? Instead of dashing to see what’s happening, just shrug and say you will check when you have time. Show that you don’t have to drop everything to respond to a tool that is supposed to help you, not turn you into a Pavlovian dog.

4. Control your phone’s notifications.

More is not necessarily better. Especially when it comes to alerts that ping or pop up on your phone screen. Do you really need to know every time you get a new email or text message with a 20 percent discount at your local store? Enough is enough—just turn off all notifications.

If you have a bad case of FOMO (fear of missing out), you can choose which apps you still want to give immediate notifications and which ones are fine to get a one-a-day summary. Go to Settings and configure when and how you want to be alerted to various types of messages.

5. Let your smartphone help you.

Apple and Android phones have built-in systems that can help you break your dependence on your mobile phone.

Maybe all you need is a way to track the number of minutes you spend in each app to realize you need to put yourself in a digital time-out. Use your phone’s settings to impose cut-offs that will prevent you from accessing certain apps when you’ve reached your limit.

6. Give yourself and your mobile phone a proper night’s rest.

Being connected 24/7 is exhausting. So, put your mobile phone on a do-not-disturb or sleep mode when you get ready for bed. You can customize do-not-disturb so that calls from specific people will still ring through.

Another restful tip is to charge your phone anywhere other than your bedroom. Of course, you might have to spring for an old-school alarm clock to wake you up, but the investment will be worth a good night’s sleep.

7. Spread the word that you’re trying to detox from your smartphone.

If you’re in the habit of promptly replying to your friends and family, give them a heads-up that you may not be as quick to respond as usual. Tell them to ring you on your home phone in an emergency. More than likely, they’ll understand and respect your need to disconnect.

Don’t have a home phone?

Check out the Ooma home phone. The Ooma Basic phone service plan is free—you only pay taxes and fees, which are typically less than $10 month. Get an estimate for your ZIP code.

About the Author
Jim Gustke profile image
Jim Gustke

Jim Gustke, vice president of marketing at Ooma, has a wealth of experience at the intersection of consumer and technology marketing. As vice president of marketing for Intuit, he helped lead the reinvention of Quicken and launch the first SaaS version of the popular personal finance software. Prior to Intuit, he was responsible for business unit management, global branding and product marketing at Lexar Media, helping grow the flash memory company to over $850 million before its acquisition by Micron Technology. He also served as the founding vice president of marketing for Ofoto, an online photography service, acquired by Eastman Kodak in 2001. A pioneer in internet marketing, he joined America Online in 1996 as the marketing leader for GNN, the company’s first Internet Service Provider, and in 1995, as a marketing manager at Polaroid Corporation, he led the team that launched the company’s first corporate website.

Recent Posts
recent post image:Don’t risk it: password security tips to keep your business and team safe
Don’t risk it: password security tips to keep your business and team safe
recent post image:Important phone calls that changed the course of history
Important phone calls that changed the course of history
recent post image:Top 10 ways to use call recording for your business
Top 10 ways to use call recording for your business
More from Ooma Blog
  • – The Ultimate Cell Phone Cost Comparison Timeline
  • – 6 ways your home phone can keep your family organized
  • – Pick up on some of the scariest phone calls in movies
  • – OBiTALK end of life is almost here, but Ooma is still committed to home phone service
FOR BUSINESS +

  • Business Phone System
  • Enterprise Phone
  • POTS Replacement
  • UCaaS
  • Cloud Phone
  • Mobile App
  • Internet Services
  • Live Demo
  • Video Conferencing
  • Choose a Number
  • International
  • VoIP Phone System
  • Business Phone Services
  • Ooma Office
  • Faqs
FOR HOME+

  • Home Phone
  • Basic Plan
  • Premier Plan
  • Connect Your Home
  • Savings
  • Accessories
  • International Calling
  • Landline Phones
  • Phone Numbers
  • Ooma Telo
  • Reviews
  • Faqs
  • Mobile App
  • Forums
FOR SECURITY+

  • Home Security
  • Professional Monitoring
  • Build Your Own System
  • Plans
  • Reviews
  • Videos
  • Faqs
  • Mobile App
SHOP+

  • Buy Home Phone
  • Buy Home Security
  • Buy Business Phone
  • Marketplace
PRESS
+

  • In the News
  • Press Releases
  • Awards
  • Press Kit
ABOUT OOMA+

  • Company
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Investors
  • FAQs
  • Partners
  • Support
  • Blog
  • Legal
  • Notice to California Residents
  • Notice to Texas Residents
  • Your Privacy Choices privacy choices icon
VISIT CANADA SITE


  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Youtube icon
  • Instagram icon
Copyright © 2025 Ooma, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Sitemap
consumer report
senior living
Ooma's Better Business Bureau Listing
PC Mag Logo
Best Places to Work
Call Support Call Support SUPPORT 888-711-6662
Call Sales Call Sales SALES877-621-0515
Buy now Buy now BUY
Live chat Live chat CHAT
BUY CALL CHAT
We use cookies and similar technologies to analyze traffic, enhance your experience and allow our partners to serve tailored advertisements. For more information or to opt out, visit our Privacy Policy.
I agree  Learn more