Reduce screen time: 5 simple tips you’ll actually stick to

We know it.
We spend too much time on our phones. We often feel overstimulated – and somehow still empty.
And yet… we keep scrolling.
A quick check on Instagram, then TikTok, then emails.
You know exactly what we mean.

But: you don’t have to toss your phone into a river to feel more real again.
Sometimes, all it takes is a few small changes in your daily routine.
Things that are actually doable – even when you’re tired, have no perfect plan, and just want to wind down.

Here are five of those things.

1. Create phone-free zones
Not because you have to – but because you can.
You don’t need your phone on the kitchen table. Or in the bedroom. And nope, not even in the bathroom.

When your phone isn’t in sight, you forget about it more easily.
And suddenly, there’s room again: for quiet, for thoughts. Maybe even a little boredom – and that’s allowed too.

Try it: one room, one spot, one little area where your phone doesn’t come with you.
No “digital detox” – just a bit more of you.

2. Turn off notifications – and turn back toward yourself
Every ping, every buzz, every banner pulls you out of the moment – out of your thoughts, out of your calm.
And it often happens without you even noticing.

Turn off notifications. All of them.
Not just social media – emails, news, weather updates, calendar reminders from 2017.
Set specific times to check things – and in between, just be.

It’s not a life-changing hack. But it’s a beginning.
And sometimes, that’s enough.

3. Puzzle – because your hands deserve better
Sometimes, all you need is a table, a cup of tea, soft music – and a puzzle.
Sounds old-school? Maybe. But sometimes, old-school is exactly what we need.

Puzzling isn’t some trending thing on TikTok.
It’s just quiet. And good.
You sort little pieces. Your brain sorts itself. You’re busy – but relaxed.
And in the end, you’ve created something. A picture.
One you made with your own hands. No app. No likes. Just for you.

We love moments like that – that’s why Peachy Puzzles exists.
Puzzles illustrated by women, sustainably made, plastic-free, and full of heart.
Maybe that’s something for you, too?

👉 Take a look at our latest designs here.

 

4. What to do instead (when you put your phone down)

Because: sometimes you just want to do something – just not stare at a screen. Here are a few ideas that work for us (depending on the day):

• – Go for a walk without a podcast. Just you and your thoughts.
• – Cook something – but with music, not Netflix.
• – Journal. Write whatever comes – no plan needed.
• – Draw, doodle, craft – anything hands-on.
• – Play board games with friends. They still hold up.
• – Or, you guessed it: puzzle. Yes, again. 😄

You don’t need a new super-hobby. Just something to pull you out of the noise.

5. Schedule your offline time – like a date with yourself
Sure, it might sound a bit stiff. Like you’re forcing yourself to chill.
But let’s be honest: if you don’t make space for it, the screen wins. Every time.
Autoplay doesn’t rest – and neither does your feed.

So schedule it – on purpose.
Not as a to-do list item, but as a gift.
An evening without a screen. A morning without emails.
Half an hour of puzzling before the day picks you back up.

Rituals become powerful when you repeat them.
When you don’t just want them – but give them space.
And if you forget? That’s fine too. You just start again.
No guilt. No pressure. Just you.

Bottom line: You don’t have to change everything – just start
This isn’t about perfection. Not about zero screen time or total abstinence.
It’s about a little reset. A moment that’s yours.

For us, that moment is puzzling.
No pressure. No goal. Just you, a few pieces, a beautiful design –
and suddenly, your head feels a little clearer.

Maybe give it a try. And if you feel like it – we’ve got something for you.