Definitely NOT video games. If OP wants to replace staring at phone it needs to be something that will not constantly reward him.

Games, phones, social media are extremely addictive as they give us constant rewards. Reading an actual book becomes boring. I suffered from the same problem with games. I had to uninstall games and completely stop playing for a week or two before I had an itch to do something else like reading a book or studying. It is insanely scary, and for me it was bad. Even to a point that I would say that it is an addiction.

> video games

I'm curious why switching from scrolling Instagram/communicating with friends on WhatsApp should be "frowned upon" (this is what comes to my mind personally when I hear the words "phone addiction) if the alternative is to trade it with something even more hyper-stimulating, like a video game.

If the post this week is "how can I be less addicted to my phone", and you replace your phone with video games, won't the post next week just be "how can I be less addicted to video games"?

I think that generally, you "get" more out of playing videogames than doomscrolling on Twitter, or mindlessly watching your YouTube recommendations. Can depend on the game for sure, but video games usually have some artistic merit and require your actual focus and attention, rather than allowing to be completely braindead. They might not be a "productive" use of your time, but at least it's more intellectually stimulating than some of the stuff we do online.

Although, if you're spending most of your time actually interacting with people, especially friends, then I think it's much less of a waste of your time.

If one addiction is bad enough, using something less addicting to break the cycle can be effective. If, for example, an hour of video games a day breaks a dopamine chain that keeps an hour a day of phone time from turning into four hours a day, it's still a net positive.

That's assuming they find games hyper-stimulating. Personally I can count the number of hours I spent last month playing video games on one finger - even though I used to play 30+ hours of video games a week in school - because it doesn't reward the long term investment circuit anymore. HN on the other hand? That's "career development."

Ive been running DND mode (Do Not Disturb) 24/7 for the last few years, and it works well. No calls, texts, notifications, nothing. Helps me to use the device on my own terms rather than in response to someone else.

Can't recommend this highly enough! The only calls and texts that break through are from contacts; the only notifications that require my attention are from apps I explicitly allowed to do so.

From time to time I expect calls from unknown numbers (e.g. recruiters) and have to disable DnD mode - it's just unbearable how much crap starts demanding my attention!

Every time I visit my parents and observe their phones, I can't believe how anyone can live with it. All the notifications lighting up your phone every minute, all the dinging and buzzing for your attention. 7 unread messages! 8! Now 10!! Ding ding ding! New reply on your Facebook message! Ding ding! It's like living on the Las Vegas strip. I'd be a basket case if I had to go a day with all those demanding interruptions.

I start going crazy visiting family too. Beeps and boops everywhere: phone notifications and ringing, the washer and dryer play electronic tunes, every external door makes the alarm system make an alert sound when it opens. Kitchen timers and microwaves. A driveway sensor goes off when anything arrives (plus false alarms). Somewhat related: the tv always on, generally including commercials.

Plus my own stuff: the car’s beeps from lock/unlock, opening the door with keys or not putting on the seatbelt fast enough. My phone if I’m on call. My work computer’s email and chat.