Experiencing a Screen Time Revolution with Brick

In our digital age, it's easy to find oneself glued to a smartphone, frittering away hours on apps like TikTok. For me, this became all too real as I wasted my days on short videos I never acted upon. Determined to reclaim my productivity, I discovered Brick, an ingenious gadget priced at $59, crafted to curb app usage.

The Tactile Solution to Digital Addiction

Brick stands out by being a tangible key that controls access to specific apps. Imagine it as a physical lock: apps remain inaccessible unless your phone interfaces with the Brick. This simple yet effective mechanism finally allowed me to begin managing my app habits more diligently.

My weekly reports on screen time showed a distressing trend of increasing hours spent online. Attempting to manually set app usage limits proved futile, as bypassing them was just a tap away. This is where Brick shines — by taking a physical form, it avoids the pitfalls of purely digital solutions.

Understanding Brick's Mechanism

Setting up Brick is straightforward. You begin by downloading the companion app and registering an account. Activation is then achieved by gently pressing your phone against the compact, magnetic square. Unlike traditional app limits, which feel restrictive, Brick offers flexibility — facilitating control over which apps you wish to block.

One of Brick’s outstanding features is the creation of customizable "Modes." For instance, I programmed a "Work Mode" to silence social media distractions, such as Facebook and TikTok, ensuring that my phone only serviced essential functions.

Activation of these modes can be accomplished through the app or a tactile tap on the Brick gadget itself. However, disabling the app blocks requires returning to the Brick, keeping distractions at bay until intended.

Witnessing Change with the First Tap

Upon first using Brick, I had a poignant moment of recognition: my dependency on social media far exceeded what I was comfortable with. Automatic phone checks were a frequent occurrence, prompting a necessary intervention.

In response, I committed to engaging with Brick each morning, strategically placing it in my partner's workspace as an additional barrier to temptation. This adjustment in routine proved effective almost instantly. Reduced phone interactions during the workday left me feeling refreshed and less uneasy.

By lessening incessant alert chimes, even weekend usage saw a decline. Though the journey to breaking free from digital addiction is ongoing, with Brick in my toolkit, meaningful progress is palpable.

I continue to rely on Brick for maintaining this newfound balance, utilizing it as I jot down these reflections at this very moment.