Tired of giving your phone a full life? There’s an app blocker to help you take control back.
According to a 2026 report in the Journal of Consumer Affairs, the average person checks their phone 144 times per day. For those who have felt the constant pull of social media during a work deadline or a family dinner, the digital landscape is finally shifting toward alternative solutions.
I know that I get easily distracted and have a tick to procrastinate from what needs to be accomplished by checking my phone. I also love a dopamine hit, which is what social media is counting on.
Many people are turning to Brick, a device they attach to their phones to block their daily habits when needed. It’s priced at $59 and not sold on Amazon, making it inconvenient to buy, especially when you’re not so sure you want to break your habit.
Fortunately, this is ot the only tool that has emerged in the space of breaking digital addictions. ZENTAG is an alternative, pocket-sized NFC tool that helps you time block by blocking the apps keeping your distracted. It can be mounted on a wall or kept in your pocket.
Made for iPhone users, download the accompanying ZENTAG app to set up your device. Once that’s complete, you can create a Blacklist or Whitelist.
Blacklist Mode: This mode lets you select specific apps, like Instagram, TikTok, or even Slack, if you’re a bit of a workaholic, to place on a blacklist. You can choose as many apps as you want to restrict. It’s incredibly useful when kids borrow your phone or when you’re trying to stop a late-night doom-scrolling session. I know I’m guilty.
Whitelist Mode: The alternative is Whitelist mode, which effectively shuts down everything except 5 apps of your choosing. This approach is much more serious and restrictive, but it’s often exactly what’s needed if you’re looking to finally kick a persistent bad habit and reclaim your focus.
By tapping the phone against the ZENTAG, the device uses Near Field Communication to instantly trigger your pre-designed setup. Once your preferences are saved in the app, you’re ready to use your phone responsibly.
Just tap and go when you’re ready to use it and tap when you’re done. It might be best to keep the tag away from you so it’s not easy to just tap it when you want access.
If this type of focus tool isn’t your thing, there’s always a locked phone box. That will make it even easier for you to determine if you’re really being purposeful with your time or just fidgeting. And listen, sometimes you need a good brain rot to keep your mind off your feelings. So you do you, but if you want to break your phone addiction, it might be time to add this device to your life.
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