Focus Friend: Curing Your Smartphone Addiction

Ever find yourself constantly picking up your phone, checking it even though you know you have no notifications? Or do you ever fall into the habit - yet again - of mindlessly scrolling for hours on end, flipping through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and repeat.

This, believe it or not, is smartphone addiction - and yes, it’s a real addiction - and yes, this is your phone’s intention. Instead of going outside, hanging out with friends and being social, holding a conversation with someone, you are retreating back into that little black box in your pocket, to be oo’d and aah’d by its pretty flashing lights while launching your screentime into the stratosphere and perpetuating your ADHD tendencies.

Want to break that habit and work to become your best self?

Focus Friend, by Hank Green (which was #1 on the App Store Top Chart last month beating out Google, ChatGPT, Twitter, and Threads - yeah, it’s legit) can help you do just that.

The app is really simple. Essentially based around the concept of being a timer, you have a cute Bean character living in a room that is completely empty. Hypothetically, if you have to get something done, such as cleaning your apartment, then you set a timer (ex: 30 mins), and during that time, your Bean will start knitting furiously.

If you finish cleaning your room in 30 minutes, the timer will finish, and your Bean will have knitted a garment that they can then trade for furniture for their empty room! If after 5 minutes you’re like “mehhh, let’s see what’s on TikTok”, then *POOF*, whatever your Bean was knitting will evaporate, and they will then give a disappointed look and bow their head in defeat, their hard work gone forever. It sounds a little wacky - but that’s because it is - and it works. Something about seeing that little Bean hard at work under the words “Don’t interrupt me!” is…motivating.

Eventually, your productivity will increase, and your Bean will live a life of luxury with a home full of furniture and other decorative pieces - a perfect symbiotic relationship.

The app is free, but once you get really into it, you can in-app purchase Bean “skins”, such as different colored jelly beans, and a cat. Deck them out as you please.

Give Focus Friend a shot - it just might help curb your doomscrolling addiction, and better your life - and your Bean’s!