A poll of 2,000 smartphone owners found 47% want to cut their mobile use down this year. Among the top 25 habits people want to break were scrolling until they fall asleep, constantly checking for notifications and never cleaning their device. Others admit to browsing on the loo, opening social media as soon as they wake up and using their device during mealtimes, all of which are behaviours they want to cut out.
The research was commissioned by giffgaff and found the average person spends three hours a day on their device, while Gen Z’s spend more than five. And almost a third (31%) of respondents admitted to checking their phone within 10 minutes of waking up every day, with a further 30% doing so most days.
Kicking off the new year, users want to adopt positive behaviours including deleting unused apps regularly (30%) and setting daily screen time limits (15%).
Leaving devices in a bag or pocket so they can be ‘in the moment’ and avoiding carrying it around the house, specifically to the bathroom, are other healthy habits people are keen to pick up.
“Our mobiles are an everyday essential, they are our wallets, cameras, maps and play host to many of life’s biggest moments so it’s hard to imagine not using them,” a spokesperson from Giffgaff said, “making some small changes this year could have a big impact. Whether that’s screen-free time, sorting through apps and photos each month or leaving our phones in a different room.”
The research also found almost a quarter (23%) have tried a digital detox, but for 18% of them it lasted less than a day. One in 10 plan to or have already switched to a dumbphone which has no access to the internet or apps.
But 36% would struggle to take videos or photos without their device, while 23% wouldn’t even know what time it is and 22% wouldn’t be able to pay for things.
Apps phone users would most like a break from are Facebook (26%), Instagram (18%) and TikTok (14%).
giffgaff has partnered with behavioural psychologist, Jo Hemmings, to help Brits improve their phone habits this year, she said: “Our devices tap into the need for connection, reassurance, and reward and every notification offers the promise of something important.
“Our brains learn to stay on high alert and this constant state of readiness fragments our attention and pulls us out of the present moment.
“Instead of using our phones as helpful tools, many of us find ourselves responding automatically - checking before we’ve even decided why.
“When we reclaim that sense of choice, we don’t just change our phone habits; we improve our focus, our relationships, and our overall sense of wellbeing.”
Avoid checking your phone for the first 20–30 minutes after waking and the same before you go to sleep. This helps your brain start the day and the night on your terms, rather than reacting to external demands.
If everything feels urgent, nothing truly is. Reducing alerts lowers stress and helps you distinguish between what’s important and what’s simply habitual. Often the urge is driven by boredom or anxiety rather than genuine need.
Meals, conversations, and bedtime are ideal opportunities to be fully present. Even small boundaries send a powerful signal to your brain that you’re in control.
Screen-time trackers and focus modes aren’t about restriction - they’re about awareness. Noticing patterns and acknowledging them is the first step to changing them.
Replace some screen time with activities that ground you - walking, reading, talking or exercise. Your nervous system will thank you.
