How to Architect Your Smartphone for a More Focused Life

“Healthy” doesn’t necessarily mean very little screen time, but screen time that is dominated by the right apps.

You have to put the right triggers front and center.

The Apps Hierarchy

• Tier 1: Habit-builders
• Tier 2: Daily Tools
• Tier 3: Someday Apps

Value: An app’s value is based on how it strongly aligns with and supports your values, goals, & desired habits

Visibility: This includes both the app’s accessibility (placement on screen) and how active the app can be (notification settings)

Apps that support the habits you want to build or maintain.

Make the habit (those apps) obvious. 

These are the apps you need for your day-to-day activities or facilitate an important aspect of your life.

Standard apps such as Safari, Contacts, and Messages

You either might need them someday or you need them some of the time. Standard iPhone apps that you occasionally use, such as the App Store or Voice Memo app

Apps that:

• Are completely useless and you just forgot they were still there
• Take up too much of your time when they really shouldn’t

Just “cut bad habits off at the source.”

• Step 1: Only display your Habit-builders and Daily Tools
• Step 2: Adjust the notifications of your apps
• Step 3: Test & adjust

With this setup, your home screen will be an instant, stark reminder of all the things you value and are working towards.