How to Break Up with Your Phone, Revised Edition: The 30-Day Digital Detox Plan

This book is an absolute revelation—I can’t recommend it highly enough! From the very first page, it hits you with a convicting punch, making you confront just how much power your phone has over your life in ways you might not even realize. It’s eye-opening, peeling back the layers of our digital habits with such clarity that I found myself nodding along, wide-eyed, as the truth sank in. What makes it even better is how easily readable it is—the writing flows so naturally, it’s like chatting with a wise friend who gets it. I couldn’t put it down; it’s binge-worthy in the best way, pulling you through each chapter with practical insights and aha moments that stick with you. If you’ve ever felt tethered to your screen, this book is the wake-up call you need—and trust me, you’ll devour it in one sitting!

Great book - one I recommended frequently. Catherine Price is a great writer with a clear, approachable style. She's funny too. Lots of great research and practical tips.

Here’s a polished and objective review with your tone in mind:---This book is a great, easy read that breaks down what our phones are doing to our brains in a way that’s both informative and accessible. I really appreciated the structure: half of the book focuses on the science behind phone addiction, while the other half provides a clear, actionable plan for a digital detox.The information is well-researched but never feels overwhelming, making it a practical read for anyone looking to take control of their screen time. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be more mindful about their phone use and its impact on their mental well-being.

I am a phone addict! I'm a millenial and can remember living life "off the grid". Mind you, there are some great things that come from having the world at your fingertips, and I don't think there's any way to go back to what once was. However, I hate feeling like my phone is in control of my life. This book breaks down all the reasons that we could all use an intervention program, with compelling evidence. It also outlines a day by day action plan for reducing the addiction and taking control of your life. It is not for the faint of heart, but you really do feel more empowered right from the first action step. Highly recommend.

A more accurate (but less catchy) title might have been “How to Re-establish Dominance In Your Relationship With Your Phone”.Price has no problem with people using their phones… as long as that’s what they want to be doing.But she makes a compelling argument that our phones have started to use us instead, and that app designers have harnessed neuroscience to keep us scrolling and checking far beyond what has become useful for us.The goal of her book is to make us aware of how and when we use our smartphones, how it makes us feel, and to break the cycle of mindless app surfing, scrolling and checking by breaking our addiction to the dopamine cycle.The book begins with a section explaining why the current relationship between many people and their phones is not a positive one, and some potential consequences which include reduced attention span, reduced memory, and depression.The second half of the book is a 30 day plan for “breaking up with your phone” and then reforming your relationship so that it’s a healthy one where you’re actively deciding when, where, and how you use the phone.I’m purposefully following Price’s 30 day plan because it takes time to change a habit. If you try to do it all at once, you might have a good week, but it may be harder for it to stick. Picking up her book every day and reading what “the plan” is for that day and journaling about my progress has helped me play the long game.This book is changing my life.I’m on Day 6 of the 30 day process and it’s already changing my life. I’ve reclaimed time in my day by taking those minutes of scrolling and adding them together into blocks of time which I can use to actually sit and read a book for 30 minutes, or bake something, or tackle cleaning out a drawer.I’ve also noticed an increased level of focus. Because I’m actively trying not to pick up my phone unless I want to initiate something (rather than consume something) I’m better able to empty the entire dishwasher without checking Instagram or Facebook or seeing an e-mail that I must deal with right this second.I freaked out when reading the section of the book about how our attention span is suffering and our brains may actually be changing due to our phone use. Now I actively try to see tasks all the way through. Every time I completely finish a task without stopping and doing something else, I’m training myself to have more focus and patience.think everyone with a smartphone should read this book. Maybe you have a perfect relationship already… but I would be surprised if even the most technology savvy and mindful of us can’t learn something from Price’s straight forward tactics for being aware of your current relationship, forming goals for what you’d like it to be, and coming up with a plan to break your addiction and get back in control of your device.

However having any affirmation of your beliefs helps, and this is no exception. If you have trouble starting off the road to shrugging that digital addiction this is a way, but I took it as more of a general guidance and modified things to fit my lifestyle rather than following things to the letter.

A good gift to give away for teenagers or non-teenagers. I mean adults. I read it and I was amazed how attached I was to my phone. Definitely recommend this book. 📕

This is for adult readers. It is suitable for parents to read to their children unless the child loves reading. I’d say middle school age.