Why plan for the moment
Scrolling has a when
Habits form as people repeat the same response in the same context. So the plan starts from the moment you usually reach for your phone: waiting for something, a break, a notification, a task that feels hard, or your own.
An if-then plan for that moment
A 2006 meta-analysis of 94 independent tests found that if-then plans ("If situation Y happens, then I will do X") had a medium-to-large effect on reaching goals (d = .65). Your card is one of these plans: “If [the moment], then I will [the swap].”
Swaps and speed bumps
A swap gives the moment something else to do, like stepping outside for 2 minutes or texting a friend. A speed bump adds a step before the scrolling starts, like moving the app off your home screen or logging out after each use. Pick one; you can make another plan for a different moment.
Count the times you catch it
“Start tracking” adds the habit to the habit tracker with a “Caught it today” button. It counts the days you caught it; there is no streak to lose.
Scrolling in bed or at night
This planner is for daytime scrolling. Scrolling in bed is a sleep habit, and it has its own free site: goodsleep.today.
What happens to what you type
Your plan stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere. “Start tracking” saves the habit, its moment and your swap on this device only.
Related tools
- Bad habit swap: the same plan for any habit you want to do less
- 5-minute start: when the scrolling starts because a task feels hard
- Habits to track: phone and focus habits to build instead
- If-then plan: several if-then lines for one goal
If you need help now
These tools are for everyday habits. They are not a crisis service. If you are struggling or don't feel safe, you can contact:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): call or text 988, or chat online. Free and confidential, 24/7.
Emergency services (911)
US: call 911 if you or someone you know is in immediate harm or danger.
Samaritans
Samaritans (UK and Ireland): call 116 123, free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Emergency services (999 or A&E) · NHS 111, mental health option
UK: call 999 or go to A&E if someone's life is at risk or you can't keep yourself or someone else safe. For urgent help that isn't an emergency, call 111 and choose the mental health option (NHS).
Elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
Sources
- Gollwitzer PM, Sheeran P (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 38:69–119. kops.uni-konstanz.de
- Wood W, Rünger D (2016). Psychology of Habit. Annual Review of Psychology 67:289–314. PMID 26361052
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988lifeline.org
- Contact Us. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988lifeline.org
- Contact a Samaritan. Samaritans. samaritans.org
- Where to get urgent help for mental health. NHS. nhs.uk