{"id":3490226,"date":"2026-06-24T14:01:35","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/24\/if-youre-looking-to-reduce-your-screen-time-simply-grab-a-brick\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T14:01:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:01:35","slug":"if-youre-looking-to-reduce-your-screen-time-simply-grab-a-brick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/24\/if-youre-looking-to-reduce-your-screen-time-simply-grab-a-brick\/","title":{"rendered":"If you’re looking to reduce your screen time, simply grab a Brick"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

For many years, I\u2019ve imposed screen time restrictions on my iPhone, permitting just 30 minutes for social media daily. How frequently have I ignored the limit notification and kept scrolling through unproductive Reels? The answer would astound me.<\/p>\n

It turns out that all I needed was a $59 chunk of grey plastic (though self-discipline would have been cheaper, it was unavailable). The Brick \u2014 a compact, magnet-equipped device \u2014 has achieved what no screen time app ever could. It effectively reduced my phone usage and enhanced my sleep routines.<\/p>\n

Unlike your typical screen time app, Brick elevates the experience into the tangible realm. This gadget is a branded, NFC-enabled square that allows you to deactivate your custom screen time limits only if you tap your phone against the Brick, just like making a transaction at a tap-to-pay point. Evidently, if I must physically rise and tap my phone on the Brick to access Instagram, I won\u2019t do it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrick emerged from a personal need: our phones were interfering with our lives,\u201d co-founder Zach Nasgowitz explained to TechCrunch via email. \u201cWe looked for answers to this issue in our lives, but nothing seemed quite right, so we decided to create something ourselves to tackle this challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong>Brick (opens in a new window)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I employed Brick to enhance my sleep habits, and I\u2019m somewhat embarrassed to admit that it has surpassed my expectations.<\/p>\n

Like many millennials \u2014 particularly those of us with online-dependent careers \u2014 I tend to crawl into bed at night and absentmindedly scroll my phone, complicating my ability to fall asleep. To make matters worse, I sometimes stay in bed on my phone after waking up, beginning the day with a foggy mind.<\/p>\n

I set up a \u201cSleep\u201d mode on the Brick app, activating each night at 10:30. Consequently, my phone automatically restricts all apps except for messaging (I want to stay reachable, just in case) and audio apps (I occasionally listen to podcasts or audiobooks as I drift off). When I awaken, I cannot spend time on my phone without getting out of bed, heading downstairs, and tapping my phone on the Brick. (If you prefer to keep your phone entirely out of your bedroom but wish to utilize podcasts for sleep, I recommend the Dreamie alarm clock.)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s tough to acknowledge that I required a $59 piece of plastic to initiate a lifestyle change, but without the Brick, reverting to old patterns would be too effortless. I have been trialing a Brick unit provided by the company for review, and it\u2019s proven so effective that I plan to purchase one to continue its use (we return or donate our review devices for ethical reasons). If motivated, it\u2019s even possible to create a DIY solution similar to Brick using an NFC tag and Apple Shortcuts.<\/p>\n

\u201cSoftware-only solutions like Screen Time and Digital Wellbeing are simple to bypass, and what truly works is introducing some friction,\u201d Brick co-founder TJ Driver expressed to TechCrunch via email. \u201cThis enables physical technology to enter the scene and create genuine separation that software prompts cannot replicate. By requiring you to go back to the device physically to unblock your apps, the choice to reconnect transforms into a deliberate decision instead of a subconscious reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Users receive a limited amount of \u201cemergency unbricks\u201d in case your phone becomes locked and you absolutely need to access a specific app, such as Google Maps or Uber, to return home safely. However, I find it simpler to include those apps in my sleep mode for those rare instances when I\u2019m out late, thereby conserving an emergency unbrick. Knowing that I can access the Uber app doesn\u2019t disrupt my sleep. I don\u2019t doomscroll on Uber.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of persistently depending on willpower, it can be more effective to design your environment to minimize the strain on your willpower or brain,\u201d Driver stated. \u201cDevices like Brick assist individuals in deciding how they want their phone to optimally serve them for a specific moment or task, and then tailor their digital surroundings so that they no longer have to think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong>Brick, screenshots by TechCrunch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This focus on personalization and autonomy has made the product effective for numerous customers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne user had been wishing for a dumb phone for years but couldn\u2019t let go of his primary messaging app, KakaoTalk, for staying in touch with his wife and friends in Korea,\u201d Nasgowitz noted. \u201cHe reported that, \u2018Brick has transformed my phone into what I\u2019ve always desired \u2013 a phone that can text, call, take some photos, and use Kakao. It\u2019s just right.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Interest in transitioning to \u201cdumb phones\u201d is rising as people grow increasingly disenchanted with Big Tech. However, flip phones are unsuitable for our current lifestyles, where we rely on our phones for tasks like scanning tickets for events, making payments for public transport, and fulfilling job responsibilities that require specific two-factor authentication applications. (Some companies, like Dumb.Co and Commodore, are attempting to address this by modifying flip phones to support apps like authentication tools and WhatsApp, or by inventing entirely new hardware.)<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re hesitant to embrace a more drastic shift, such as switching to a flip phone, the Brick serves as a middle ground \u2014 it\u2019s effective, but it\u2019s not as severe an adjustment. You can customize your phone to be as \u201cdumb\u201d as you wish, whenever you desire.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you take a broader view of the screen time movement as a whole, it\u2019s not about rejecting technology,\u201d Driver remarked. \u201cIt\u2019s about regaining control and being intentional again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n

For many years, I\u2019ve imposed screen time restrictions on my iPhone, permitting just 30 minutes for social media daily. How frequently have I ignored the limit notification and kept scrolling through unproductive Reels? The answer would astound me.<\/p>\n

It turns out that all I needed was a $59 chunk of grey plastic (though self-discipline would have been cheaper, it was unavailable). The Brick \u2014 a compact, magnet-equipped device \u2014 has achieved what no screen time app ever could. It effectively reduced my phone usage and enhanced my sleep routines.<\/p>\n

Unlike your typical screen time app, Brick elevates the experience into the tangible realm. This gadget is a branded, NFC-enabled square that allows you to deactivate your custom screen time limits only if you tap your phone against the Brick, just like making a transaction at a tap-to-pay point. Evidently, if I must physically rise and tap my phone on the Brick to access Instagram, I won\u2019t do it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrick emerged from a personal need: our phones were interfering with our lives,\u201d co-founder Zach Nasgowitz explained to TechCrunch via email. \u201cWe looked for answers to this issue in our lives, but nothing seemed quite right, so we decided to create something ourselves to tackle this challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong>Brick (opens in a new window)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I employed Brick to enhance my sleep habits, and I\u2019m somewhat embarrassed to admit that it has surpassed my expectations.<\/p>\n

Like many millennials \u2014 particularly those of us with online-dependent careers \u2014 I tend to crawl into bed at night and absentmindedly scroll my phone, complicating my ability to fall asleep. To make matters worse, I sometimes stay in bed on my phone after waking up, beginning the day with a foggy mind.<\/p>\n

I set up a \u201cSleep\u201d mode on the Brick app, activating each night at 10:30. Consequently, my phone automatically restricts all apps except for messaging (I want to stay reachable, just in case) and audio apps (I occasionally listen to podcasts or audiobooks as I drift off). When I awaken, I cannot spend time on my phone without getting out of bed, heading downstairs, and tapping my phone on the Brick. (If you prefer to keep your phone entirely out of your bedroom but wish to utilize podcasts for sleep, I recommend the Dreamie alarm clock.)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s tough to acknowledge that I required a $59 piece of plastic to initiate a lifestyle change, but without the Brick, reverting to old patterns would be too effortless. I have been trialing a Brick unit provided by the company for review, and it\u2019s proven so effective that I plan to purchase one to continue its use (we return or donate our review devices for ethical reasons). If motivated, it\u2019s even possible to create a DIY solution similar to Brick using an NFC tag and Apple Shortcuts.<\/p>\n

\u201cSoftware-only solutions like Screen Time and Digital Wellbeing are simple to bypass, and what truly works is introducing some friction,\u201d Brick co-founder TJ Driver expressed to TechCrunch via email. \u201cThis enables physical technology to enter the scene and create genuine separation that software prompts cannot replicate. By requiring you to go back to the device physically to unblock your apps, the choice to reconnect transforms into a deliberate decision instead of a subconscious reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Users receive a limited amount of \u201cemergency unbricks\u201d in case your phone becomes locked and you absolutely need to access a specific app, such as Google Maps or Uber, to return home safely. However, I find it simpler to include those apps in my sleep mode for those rare instances when I\u2019m out late, thereby conserving an emergency unbrick. Knowing that I can access the Uber app doesn\u2019t disrupt my sleep. I don\u2019t doomscroll on Uber.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of persistently depending on willpower, it can be more effective to design your environment to minimize the strain on your willpower or brain,\u201d Driver stated. \u201cDevices like Brick assist individuals in deciding how they want their phone to optimally serve them for a specific moment or task, and then tailor their digital surroundings so that they no longer have to think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong>Brick, screenshots by TechCrunch<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This focus on personalization and autonomy has made the product effective for numerous customers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne user had been wishing for a dumb phone for years but couldn\u2019t let go of his primary messaging app, KakaoTalk, for staying in touch with his wife and friends in Korea,\u201d Nasgowitz noted. \u201cHe reported that, \u2018Brick has transformed my phone into what I\u2019ve always desired \u2013 a phone that can text, call, take some photos, and use Kakao. It\u2019s just right.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Interest in transitioning to \u201cdumb phones\u201d is rising as people grow increasingly disenchanted with Big Tech. However, flip phones are unsuitable for our current lifestyles, where we rely on our phones for tasks like scanning tickets for events, making payments for public transport, and fulfilling job responsibilities that require specific two-factor authentication applications. (Some companies, like Dumb.Co and Commodore, are attempting to address this by modifying flip phones to support apps like authentication tools and WhatsApp, or by inventing entirely new hardware.)<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re hesitant to embrace a more drastic shift, such as switching to a flip phone, the Brick serves as a middle ground \u2014 it\u2019s effective, but it\u2019s not as severe an adjustment. You can customize your phone to be as \u201cdumb\u201d as you wish, whenever you desire.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you take a broader view of the screen time movement as a whole, it\u2019s not about rejecting technology,\u201d Driver remarked. \u201cIt\u2019s about regaining control and being intentional again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3490227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3490226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3490226"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3490226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3490226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3490227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3490226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3490226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3490226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}