As smart as my smartphone is, it isn’t working with my brain—it’s working against it. This isn’t news to me. I have found myself distracted by my phone at work. I also get trapped in a doom scroll for hours more times than I would like to admit. (See also “time blindness,” another trait that I only recently realized was ADHD.) I have tried different things to prevent me from getting sucked into my phone. If they worked, it was only temporary. I realized I was using techniques meant for brains that are different than mine. They were meant for brains without ADHD. After listening to a few episodes of the podcast Hacking Your ADHD, I have learned that those neurotypical approaches often fall flat for a person with ADHD.
One area that I have been working on with my therapist is making routines. I am really proud of the work I have done to create a morning routine that works for me. Something I recently introduced to that morning routine is listening to podcasts. I stumped upon Hacking Your ADHD earlier this week, and I have been listening to episodes every single day. I love that the episodes (so far) have been short – only about 10-15 minutes long. That’s a perfect length for me, since I can easily listen to an episode or two while getting ready. I can also fit one in on the way to work and on the way home.
But I’m not going to hyperfocus on the entire podcast (tempting as that is). I’m staying on track and just sharing what I start working on today: making my smartphone ADHD-friendly.
Step 1: App Inventory (AKA the Digital Clutter Wake-Up Call)
One of the first tips from the episode is to take inventory of how many apps I have on my phone – and how many I actually use. The host, William, says he has 183 apps and only used 38 in the past week. Naturally, I check mine.
I have 179 apps. (Why does that feel so validating that the number of apps I have is so close to Williams, a fellow ADHD-er?) In the past week, I’ve used 54. Still – there are over 100 apps just hanging out on my phone that I don’t touch. That’s wild.
Step 2: Start Deleting
Right away, I scrolled through and started deleting apps I haven’t used in months, or ever. The ADHD part of my brain kept whispering, “But what if you need that someday?” and I push back with, “If I do, I’ll re-download it.”
That mindset helps. I want less digital clutter. Even if the apps don’t take up much space physically, they make it harder to use my phone. Too many icons. Too many choices. Too much visual noise.
I started with 179 apps. I deleted a few as I started writing this blog. Then a few more. I was down to 165 before I even finished this paragraph. And by the time I wrapped this post up? 126. Progress!
Step 3: Analyze Screen Time (Spoiler Alert: I Kinda Knew What Was Sucking Up My Time)
Before I checked, I assumed I spent most of my phone time on social media and games.
And… yep.
Here’s what today’s data tells me from the past week:
- Social media (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat): 11 hours, 19 minutes
- Entertainment (Spotify, YouTube, Ticketmaster): 3 hours, 12 minutes
- Games (Taste Travels, Hole Em All, Sort Match – you know, those random ones you download after seeing an ad in another app… everyone does that, right?): 2 hours, 53 minutes
No wonder I feel like I’m constantly picking up my phone and not getting anything done.
Step 4: Reorganize My Apps
The next step is to reorganize my apps in a way that helps me use my phone the way I want to.
I already have a few systems in place that are working for me:
- The Finch app is front and center on my home screen as a widget. It’s one of my go-to ADHD tools (more on that in another post), and having it right there makes it easier to engage with.
- I put most of my apps into folders by category: social media, music, shopping, restaurants, etc.
- The folders are in alphabetical order after the first page.
The podcast suggests putting time-wasting apps further from the home screen or burying them in folders to make them less accessible. That’s a tip I definitely want to try next.
Step 5: Cut the Notifications
This one hits hard: turn off as many notifications as possible.
I’m someone who gets really distracted by my watch buzzing from a notification, or from seeing those little red numbers pop up. Sometimes they even stress me out. Sometimes I just completely ignore them and my friends say, “How can you stand having 82392 unread notifications?” So why do I let them exist in the first place, since I’m either not bothering with them or they’re making me pull my hair out?
Today’s podcast episode reminds me: I don’t need to let my phone (or watch) constantly interrupt me. I started going through notification settings and turning things off, and it already feels lighter. I’ll continue to work on this later.
Step 6: Revisit “Do Not Disturb” and App Limits
The final tip from today’s episode is to use Do Not Disturb and screen time limits more intentionally. I already have some things set up—but now that I’m doing this phone overhaul, I want to reevaluate what’s working and what’s not.
I’m realizing that these tools can do more for me than just block distractions – they can create boundaries that protect my time, attention, and energy.
What’s Next?
This is just Part 1 of the episode – there’s a whole second part I haven’t even listened to yet. But already, this process is helping me feel more aware of how my phone affects my focus and my time.
I’m excited to keep going. I’m excited to hack my ADHD.
And today, I’m proud of myself for taking one small, actionable step toward making my digital world more ADHD-friendly.
Got any ADHD-friendly phone hacks of your own? Let me know! I’d love to hear what works for you.
As William says at the end of the podcast… until next time, stay focused.
RD on the Run
RD on the Run 