Phone Setup Worksheet

Before you start: make the audit sheet

Outcome label: name the thing you are protecting: bedtime, homework, workout, dinner, deep work, commute, or morning launch.

Risk zone: write the place where the loop begins: couch, bed, desk, bathroom, car, kitchen, queue, or elevator.

Access tier: sort tools into green for always allowed, yellow for scheduled, and red for blocked during the protected window.

Parking place: choose the visible location where the device sits when the protected window starts.

The checklist

StepActionDone when

1Write your baseline from device settings.You have the daily average and the top two red-zone categories.

2Create a notification whitelist.Only people, calendar, transit, banking, school, work-critical, or safety alerts remain.

3Clear the launch surface.The first screen contains utilities only; red-zone icons are removed from view.

4Pick one protected window.The window has a start cue, end cue, and parking place.

5Write the rule card.The card says: "During ___, I only use ___ for ___."

6Choose the two-minute substitute.The substitute starts with a physical action: shoes, notebook, kettle, laundry, timer, or bag.

7Set the red-zone limit.The limit is aimed at the distracting category, not maps, messages, school, or work tools.

8Write the exception rule.You know which urgent uses are allowed and where they are recorded.

9Make the setup receipt.You record one keep, one change, one removed rule, and one next window.

Traffic-light sort

Use three buckets so the reset does not break normal life. Green tools stay available: calls from important people, maps, calendar, banking, work or school utilities, rides, and safety access. Yellow tools are scheduled: email, messages that can wait, browser research, shopping, news, and creator tools. Red tools are blocked during the protected window: feeds, reels, games, impulse shopping, and repeated checks that usually end with lost time.

This sort keeps the checklist practical. The worksheet is not trying to make the device unusable. The target is to remove the shortcut from cue to loop.

Copy these fields into your notes

FieldWriteExample

Focus pledgeThe one outcome this setup is protecting."Finish the evening routine before entertainment."

Green listUtility access that stays open.Calls, maps, calendar, school portal, payment, transit.

Yellow listUseful access that gets scheduled.Email at noon and 5 PM, browser research after the timer.

Red listLoop access that closes during the protected window.Feeds, reels, games, impulse shopping, tab hopping.

Parking dockThe physical place the device waits.Kitchen counter, hallway shelf, backpack pocket, desk drawer.

Alert whitelistThe contacts or tools allowed to interrupt.Family, calendar, safety, school, work-critical contacts.

Shortcut purgeThe icon or widget removed from the launch surface.Feed icon, shopping widget, game folder, news shortcut.

Recovery noteThe line you read after a miss."Close it, park it, restart the two-minute task."

Rule card examples

Bed: During lights-out, I only use calls and alarm. The device parks across the room.

Study: During the first work block, I only use notes, calendar, and school tools. Feeds wait until the timer ends.

Meals: During dinner, the device parks on the counter. Photos are allowed, scrolling is not.

Commute: During transit, music and maps are green. Feeds are yellow and open only after the destination.

Daily check marks

Use one mark per day. Do not grade the whole personality, and do not rewrite the whole setup after one miss. The score only tells you whether the parking dock, alert whitelist, shortcut purge, and recovery note were close enough to the moment of friction.

MarkMeaningAdjustment

BlankThe rule was invisible.Move the card or dock into the same room as the risk zone.

DotThe rule was noticed late.Shorten the card and remove one extra decision.

CheckThe rule interrupted the loop once.Repeat without adding another rule.

StarThe substitute started before the loop.Keep the same setup for another week.

Use BreakAway to run the checklist

BreakAway can turn the audit sheet into limits, schedules, task prompts, friend check-ins, competitions, and mindful unlocks. On Android, Scroll Guard can help with supported short-form feeds. On iPhone, setup depends on Apple's Screen Time permissions and the limits you choose.

Seven-day setup receipt

Receipt lineWrite this downNext action

KeepThe rule that held most often.Repeat it unchanged for another week.

ChangeThe cue, location, or substitute that was too vague.Move the rule closer to the risk zone.

RemoveThe rule that caused friction without helping.Delete it instead of adding more rules.

WatchThe hour or location where the loop survived.Create one new rule card for that slot.

FAQ

Is this different from a digital detox guide?

Yes. A guide explains the system. This checklist is the execution version: pick the rule, protect the slot, and review what happened.

Should I delete social media?

Only if deletion fits your life. Many people do better by blocking feeds during high-risk windows while keeping useful communication available.

Is this medical advice?

No. This is a practical screen-time planning checklist, not diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice.

A digital reset worksheet you can run in one week.