Jo Irving is a Holistic Empowerment and Transformation Coach, helping entrepreneurs and professionals create aligned success without burnout.
With 25+ years as a business owner, she blends science-backed strategies with soulful practices to support personal and professional transformation.
Below, Jo provides her top tips on how to create a healthier relationship with your phone.
“A healthier relationship with your phone starts with presence. So many of us reach for our phones on autopilot – not because we need them, but because we’re craving connection, soothing or escape. The key is to get curious without judging yourself.
I love creating mini rituals throughout the day to interrupt tech overwhelm – things like starting the day phone-free, having a ‘power down’ ritual at night, or setting affirmations as my lock screen to remind me to choose presence over distraction.
I also suggest asking yourself, ‘What am I really looking for right now?’ before you pick up your phone. Often it’s rest, clarity, or reassurance – things a screen can’t really give us.
One of my more surprising go-to tips is turning your phone grayscale – it makes it much less addictive! I also encourage clients to name their phone patterns with compassion: ‘I’m scrolling to avoid this tricky feeling.’ That awareness can shift everything.
Ultimately, the goal isn’t to be perfect or rigid – it’s to reclaim your time, energy, and peace. When we start treating our tech as a tool, not a default, we open the door to so much more creativity, joy and calm.”
1. Ask: “What am I really looking for?”
Before picking up your phone, ask: Am I looking for connection? Distraction? Validation? Control? Bringing awareness to the emotional need behind the habit is a powerful step toward breaking the autopilot scroll.
2. Anchor your phone to intention.
Before opening an app, take a breath and name your purpose: “I’m here to send a message, then I’m out.” It sounds simple, but it helps shift your brain from reactive to intentional.
3. Don’t let your phone be your dummy
We often use our phones the way toddlers use dummies — to soothe discomfort. Try riding the wave of boredom or discomfort instead. That space is where your creativity and clarity live.
4. Protect your nervous system.
Your phone is a constant source of input. Every ding, message, or red dot activates your stress response. I recommend turning your phone grayscale (yep, it’s a setting!) or putting it in “focus mode” during deep work or rest.
5. Make your phone boring again.
Remove all social apps from your home screen. Log out of them. Turn off colours. The less frictionless your phone is, the more you’ll reach for real connection, real rest, real life.
6. Reclaim your power with your calendar.
If your phone is full of “shoulds” and “alerts,” you’re reacting all day long. Build sacred spaceinto your calendar for joy, rest, creativity – even screen-free walks. Don’t just plan your life around appointments.
7. Take ‘sacred scrolls’ only.
Curate your feed with intention. Unfollow or mute anyone who drains your energy. Follow only what uplifts, inspires, or expands you. Your scroll should feel like a cup of tea with someone who gets you.
8. Name your tech habits without shame.
Notice them with kindness: “Oh, I’m checking email again to feel in control.” Naming softens the pattern and gives you a chance to choose differently.
9. Use the ‘tech detox menu’ approach.
Rather than rigid rules, create a flexible menu of tech boundaries:
- Mornings = phone off until journaling/tea/movement.
- Evenings = no phone an hour before bed, replaced by reading, bath, or music.
- Sundays = offline until after lunch.
This feels more supportive than restrictive.
10. Let stillness be the reward.
Not all downtime needs filling. Your best ideas often come in the silence – the bath, the walk, the staring out the window. Honour that stillness as a sacred part of success, not a waste of time.
11. Connect with the body.
Every time you go to pick up your phone, pause and ask: What does my body need instead? A stretch, a walk, a breath? That micro-moment of body awareness can rewire your habits over time
