I had to go from my place in Portland over to the east side for a dentist appointment, then back downtown for groceries. Normally that's like 50 minutes of pure doomscroll time on the bus. But I left my phone in my bag by accident because I was carrying a box of files for work. So I just sat there watching the rain and the people getting on and off. Weirdest part, I didn't even feel that itch after the first few stops. Has anyone else had a day where you're forced off your phone and it actually feels okay, not like a punishment?
I started leaving my phone in the car whenever I have any appointment where I know I'll be waiting, like at the DMV last week or the dentist office. It sounds dumb but just sitting there with nothing to do made me realize how much I was scrolling just to fill dead time, so now I bring a paperback and it's been way easier to stay focused the rest of the day. Anyone else got a weird physical barrier trick that works better than any app?