ScreenZen- Screen Time Control 4+

This is helping me be much more mindful with my social media use. I love the pause and the prompts that it gives you before it unlocks the app, that is also super customizable and helpful! The prompts, urge you to be mindful and figure out what it is you are actually wanting. I have mine set to “what are you seeking?” it makes me stop and think about what it is I’m really hoping to get out of scrolling. And if I can’t answer, then I close the app. It helps me feel more In control. Its helping me take back the power. It’s so easy to use, super user friendly, and has sooo many great customizable functions to help you overcome your social media addiction. And the best part is, it’s absolutely free. I never ever ever leave reviews but I love seeing good companies who genuinely want to fix a real rampant problem and not just profit. This app is genuinely the best thing ever for my social media addiction. I can’t stress enough how MANY great customizable features this app comes with to make your experience more tailored to you. It’s also much easier to set up compared to other screen time apps that I have tried, and those even had paid subscriptions ! If you really want to take it a step further, in your settings, go to color filter, and change it to black and white. It will help make your phone less appealing to look at, therefore promoting you to use it less. That hack paired with this app = significantly less screen time. 10/10

I love this app! I have been using it for months now, and it has made a huge difference in how much time I spend on my phone (especially social media). My favorite feature is the checklist of activities you would rather be using your time for, I have ADD and it’s easy to get zoned out and then later feel crappy because I didn’t focus my energy on the important things I want to prioritize. This app doesn’t let me get lost in my phone and has helped me be so much more productive. Thanks for that!

The only two things I would like to see are 1) the ability to add a specific website to a group rather than the entire access to the browser. Not sure if that’s possible but would help to keep me from doom scrolling while still being able to use the browser for the random needs. 2) to be able to retroactively check a task off the list. Sometimes (because I am not on my phone nearly as much anymore) I will complete one of my checklist items for the day but forget to check it off. Once the clock hits midnight the counters reset and you can only click it once per day. So even though I might do the activity 4/4 times that week, the app will only reflect 3/4. Would be nice to be able to just keep a running tally for that week whenever I get the chance to account for it, rather than having to be sure I check it off before midnight. Otherwise, this app is perfection.

I saw screenzen in a drew gooden video and downloaded it to try, and planned on deleting it if it didn’t work. I’ve tried setting screen time limits in my phone and within apps that have a setting for reminders and stuff, and nothing worked. I have adhd and get really easily pulled into doomscrolling on apps like tiktok. I’ve had screenzen for a couple of weeks and it’s worked so far!! The way it keeps track of your streak of following time limits was really helpful for me. I’m actually thinking before I mindlessly open apps and I’m letting myself be bored, even if only for a few seconds. I’m reading a lot more and I’m consciously thinking about the time I’m spending. I still use up a few of my opens to turn off my brain and scroll, but I’m getting better. I like that I can adjust the limits if they’re not working, like I set a limit for reddit but realized I open the app a lot more for just quick checks, like looking something up and clicking on a link to a reddit post.

The screens popping up whenever I wanted to open an app and the pause before it opens it annoyed me just enough that I started to avoid opening the apps unless I was consciously taking a break and scrolling. So it’s working for me which is great! It’s free as of when I’m writing this (Oct 2024) which is awesome as well.