Phone Check-In Log
Your phone can already count hours and pickups. What it cannot tell is which pickups you chose and which just happened. This one-week log is on paper on purpose: you tick a square for each unplanned pickup, by time of day, and write one thing you did instead. After a week you have a page to look back on, with each part of the day side by side.
How to use it
- Choose whether your week starts on Monday or Sunday.
- Choose three or four times of day. The fourth is for phone use in bed.
- Add a daily screen-time aim if you want one printed at the top. You can leave it empty.
- Print the page, keep it where you usually put your phone down, and tick a square for each unplanned pickup.
Good to know
- A planned pickup, such as answering a call or checking a map, does not need a tick. The log is for the automatic ones.
- The screen-time column is for the figure your phone already records in its settings.
- The three questions at the bottom are for the end of the week, not for every day.
Questions
Why paper and not an app?
Opening an app to log phone use means picking up the phone again. A page next to the charger can be ticked without unlocking anything.
What counts as an unplanned pickup?
Any time you notice the phone in your hand and did not decide to pick it up. If you are not sure, tick it.
How long should I keep the log?
One week is a reasonable start. Print a second page if you want to compare a week after you change something.
Is this a treatment for phone addiction?
No. It is a self-tracking sheet for everyday habits. If phone use is causing serious distress or harm, please speak to a qualified health professional.
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These printables are self-tracking sheets for everyday habits. They are not medical or mental-health advice.