How I turned my smartphone into a quiet, distraction-free tool.
Phones are supposed to make life easier, but for me, they mostly make life distracting. Endless scrolling, notifications, and apps vying for attention, it’s exhausting. That’s why I built a phone setup that’s deliberately restrictive, not by blocking apps themselves, but by limiting the content they can access.
I use a Pixel running GrapheneOS, which allows multiple user profiles (like separate accounts on a computer). The owner profile controls system settings like DNS, while the secondary profile is the one I actually use day to day. My secondary profile is limited to email, banking, notes, and a chess app. The browser is almost useless, it can basically only access Wikipedia and a weather website. Of course, there’s also a password manager and the dialer app.
The goal isn’t to stop myself from installing apps, most need internet access anyway, but to prevent the endless scrolling and distractions that usually come with them. The key to this setup is the owner profile. It’s protected by a numeric code I don’t memorize. I store it in an app I built myself, which can “lock away” access to the owner profile for a set period. This ensures I can’t bypass my own restrictions on a whim. If at some point I do remember the code, that’s my signal it’s time to rotate it again.
The secondary profile can’t change network settings. That’s where DNS filtering comes in. I use ControlD to manage which websites and domains are allowed. By default, everything is blocked, and I whitelist domains on a per-app basis. It takes a bit of trial and error to get things working smoothly, but once set up, it’s stable and reliable. An alternative service like NextDNS can be used for a similar setup if ControlD isn’t your thing.
Whenever possible, I also prefer using open source apps. They are usually more transparent, privacy-friendly, and fit better with the philosophy behind this whole setup.
If I need a less restrictive environment, I just grab my MacBook. For me, this setup isn’t about limiting functionality, it’s about reclaiming attention and making my phone a tool rather than a trap. It helps me use my phone with intention, instead of being used by it.