My issues with Apple screen time & notifications (and what I do about it) ✍️
As I wrote yesterday, I'm trying to cure my online addiction. It's not easy. While I can have the mindset to stay clean, a simple trigger can have the ability to derail me. I'm trying to remove as many as possible, but Apple isn't making it easy.
Notifications
For starters, notifications. After all these years, it's still broken. Herman recently shared how he deals with notifications, which acted as a trigger for me to review my phone setup.
While I stopped notifications for many apps, I did allow some to keep sending updates. Those I want to be notified about. However, my intention was to receive them on a schedule, rather than when they occur. Scheduled reports could have been a good solution, but it doesn't work.
I receive notifications from apps within the scheduled reports, but also as a standalone one.
I tried many things. Adjusting the notification settings, using more scheduled reports,... It doesn't work. Searching online for a solution, neither. People report similar behaviour. And the only response from Apple is to check the notification settings within the app itself. However, notifications appear in- and outside scheduled reports, so it's not the app, but something with iOS.
The only option to remove notifications as a distraction is to stop them completely.
However, notifications are not the real reason for a possible relapse, but more of a daily nuisance and distraction.
Screen time
I do have an issue with the current implementation of screen time.
With screen time, you can have an understanding of how much time you spend on your device, and on what. Having an understanding of your screen time is necessary to assess your behaviour and define corrective actions.
Additionally, you can add blocking to remove access to certain URLs or limit the time you can spend on specific apps. In recent years, screen time can be accessed by other apps (blockers, focus apps,...), making it easier to see your usage and implement blocking schedules or sessions.
This works great. With an app like Jomo (1), I enable schedules to block and guide my behaviour.
However, the big issue with screen time is that I still have the key.
Jomo can enforce its blocking schedules, but if I make changes in screen time, it doesn't work. I can enable a password, but unless I keep it out of my hands (which I do), I can easily remove it again. It's like locking a liquor cabinet and putting the key next to it.
My solution
As I said, I have set a screen time password and saved it somewhere where it's more difficult for me to reach. But even so, you can ask for a password reset, so it's not foolproof.
However, I did create a solution for iOS recently that does work and blocks me from making screen time changes. In fact, it blocks access to the settings app completely, which is not ideal. But in uncertain times, you need to bring the big guns.
So what is the solution I created? With the help of a Shortcut automation, a script runs whenever I open the settings app. If this is within a certain time frame, instead of the settings app, another app gets opened, like an app for breathwork or reading.2
Unfortunately, by having access to Shortcuts, I can still disable the automation.
That is why I use a second app, a blocker, like Jomo, to block access to the Shortcuts app.
In this way, when I open settings (if I want to touch screen time), I get redirected to a Unwind. And if I open the Shortcuts app, I get a notification from Jomo that it's blocked. And with Jomo running, I can't uninstall or stop its blocking schedule.
Since I enabled it, it has been working well. No way to bypass.
While all this runs on a schedule so I don't have to think about it, I can also trigger Jomo ad hoc, for unforeseen occasions when I know I can have a hard time resisting.
This looks to be a lot, but sometimes desperate measures are needed when simple things don't help.
In case you're interested in my solution, let me know and I'll share more details.
And in case you want to give Jomo a try, use my referral code: PD4PK6.
And if you're on Mac, you don't need to use Shortcuts. You can do all the blocking directly through Jomo.
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I have no affiliation with Jomo, but I like the solution they created. Use my referral code PD4PK6 for a 14-day free trial of all Plus features.↩
I'm using Shortcuts to block access to the settings app, as Jomo on iOS is not able to do this directly. On Mac, I can schedule with Jomo when I have access to the Settings app. So, Jomo can directly block websites, apps, and access to screen time.↩