Turning down the notifications
The Christmas holiday season is presented as a time to step back from the busy pace of modern life and connect with loved ones instead of screens, apps and chatbots. In its “One Tech Tip” column, Associated Press offers suggestions aimed at helping people reduce device distraction over the holiday period.
One approach described in the column is to use built-in phone features to temporarily silence notifications. For iPhone or Android users, the guidance points to the Focus setting, which it says is designed to stop interruptions when someone wants to concentrate. It also says Focus can be customized by blocking specific apps or muting only during certain activities, including sleeping or reading.
Managing screen time and changing the look of the phone
The column also directs readers to screen time controls available on Android and iOS, saying they can manage overall device usage. It gives an example of limiting Instagram scrolling to a daily total of 20 minutes.
Another tactic described is making the screen gray to make it less appealing. The guidance says iPhone or Android users can tweak color filter or adjustment settings, and that on Android, activating Bedtime Mode also turns the screen gray.
Deleting apps and taking the time away
For people who want a stricter approach, the “One Tech Tip” suggests deleting apps the writer describes as being ones someone is “addicted to.” It says removing the apps that are used most for scrolling—even if only temporarily—can help stop repeated checking, and adds that apps can be reinstalled if withdrawal symptoms become too much.
The column then shifts from phone settings to time away from the device. It advises going outdoors away from Wi-Fi signals rather than staying on a couch all day. If it is snowing, it suggests activities such as snowball fights or sledding, and says to wear bulky mittens because a phone’s touch screen will not respond to them.
Even without snow, the guidance recommends walking in the woods, a park, or along tree-lined streets, and says time outdoors away from screens can benefit mental health and physical well-being. It notes that there is even a term for it—forest bathing.
Apps that force you outside: “Touch Grass”
The column discusses an app called Touch Grass that it says is built around forcing users to get outside. It says the app takes its name from a viral catchphrase used when someone has lost their connection to the real world because of what is on their screens.
The guidance says Touch Grass is similar to other apps designed to restrict screen time by requiring a break from scrolling, but that its difference is that it requires users to go outside and take a picture of themselves physically touching some grass. It says the app has a free service level that allows blocking two apps, and describes the writer’s experience that it worked at stopping opening Reddit and Instagram, though the writer ended up spending more time on other apps such as Facebook.
For blocking all apps, the column says a subscription is required, priced at $6 a month or $50 annually. It adds that if someone cannot find grass in winter, Touch Grass offers an option to touch snow or sand, saying it is available for iPhones so far, with copycat versions for both iOS and Android that the writer says have not been tested.
Writing by hand, and spending time reading
The tips also include activities that replace digital interaction with analog routines. The column asks when someone last sent a Christmas card and says many digital natives may find it easier to type greetings or send digital cards than to put pen to paper.
It says handwriting is becoming something of a dying art, and adds that research suggests neurological and cognitive benefits of handwriting. It gives an example, saying taking notes by hand is a better way for students to learn and remember information, and recommends using the holiday season to write thoughtful messages, letters to long-lost friends, or thank-you notes for presents received.
For readers still deciding on Christmas gifts, the column suggests picking up a book. It says it is easy to find inspiration this time of year when people share the books they have read over the past 12 months, and it references that outlets including the Associated Press compile a list of the year’s best books. It adds that reading long-form literature or nonfiction can provide benefits it says cannot be gained from short-form text, including deeper understanding, developing empathy, and increasing focus and concentration.
Locking devices—and going minimalist
The column also recommends locking devices away as a last-minute gift idea. It points to time-lock vaults, suggesting people put devices out of reach for 15 minutes, a few hours, or even weeks.
It says there are versions for sale online and describes an example purchase by the writer: a battery-powered gray plastic model for about $30 that can hold several smartphones. The instruction leaflet, the column says, described the device as intended to “enhance self-discipline.” The column says users can punch in a time—up to 30 days—for a digital countdown, and that the lid has portholes to allow cables for charging while the device remains locked. It adds that the writer tried locking a phone for an hour before doing online Christmas shopping, but says plans were disrupted because authentication requests for a credit card and Amazon went to the phone.
Finally, the guidance suggests gift ideas that reduce smartphone stimulation. It proposes putting a “brick phone” under the tree, describing it as a feature phone that provides a back-to-basics option without the digital stimulation of a smartphone. It says retro Nokia devices include numeric keypads and throwback video games like Snake and adds that some can only make voice calls and send text messages. It also mentions “digital minimalist phones” from Light, Punkt and Balance, describing them as modern devices with a stripped-down experience.