The average person picks up their phone over 150 times a day. Most of those times, there was no real reason to. It starts with a notification, turns into a scroll, and before you know it an hour has slipped by and you're not entirely sure what you were even looking for. Screen time isn't just a phone problem, it's a habit problem. And like most habits, the fix isn't willpower. It's structure.
That's where IFTTT comes in. Instead of relying on yourself to put the phone down, start a focus session, or remember to wind down before bed, you can automate the whole thing. IFTTT connects to over 1000+ apps and devices, so your screen time limits, focus sessions, and phone settings all work together without the extra effort.
Start a free trial of IFTTT Pro and build a screen time routine that actually sticks. Whether you're trying to focus better during the day, disconnect in the evening, or just be more intentional about how you start your mornings, there's an Applet for that.
1. Before the scrolling starts
The morning is the easiest time to lose. You wake up, reach for your phone to turn off the alarm, and somehow end up thirty minutes deep into content you didn't go looking for. The best defense isn't a focus timer, it's already being somewhere. When your phone knows you've arrived at work, your day has already started without you having to think about it.
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Track your work hours in iOS Calendar
88.5K
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Press a Button to Schedule Do Not Disturb on Google Calendar
9.82K
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2. When the distractions roll in
You sat down to get something done. Then a notification came in, then another, and now you're reading something completely unrelated to what you opened your laptop for. Distractions don't ask permission, but your location can do the blocking for you. When you're logged as being at your desk, there's no ambiguity about what you're supposed to be doing.
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Track time at locations with Google Sheets
157K
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Mute Android phone when you arrive at work
205K
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Mute Android ringtone when Google Calendar meeting starts
9.6K
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Mute Android phone automatically at scheduled times
2.16K
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3. When it's time to actually switch off
The end of the day is where screen time does the most damage. One last check of your phone turns into an hour of scrolling, your lights are still on, and your brain never quite gets the signal that the day is done. A few automations at bedtime make it easier to disconnect, for your phone and for yourself.
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Start a RescueTime FocusTime session at 10pm to block distractions
374
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Change Android wallpaper when QualityTime limit is exceeded
1.11K
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Get an IFTTT notification when QualityTime detects too many unlocks
220
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Turn off Philips Hue lights at night automatically
5.06K
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Turn off Smart Life devices at bedtime
6.58K
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Mute Android ringtone automatically at bedtime
190K
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4. Seeing the bigger picture
Cutting back on screen time is easier when you can see what you're replacing it with. Tracking your location and your activity over time gives you something more useful than guilt, it gives you a pattern. When you can see the days you moved more and scrolled less, that's the data that actually changes behaviour.
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Save notifications from all of your apps to a Google spreadsheet
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Save money in Monzo when you complete a Strava activity
2.14K
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Small changes, fewer scrolls
Your screen time isn't going to fix itself. But with the right automations in place, you don't have to think about it either. Set these up once and your phone starts working around your life instead of against it.
IFTTT makes it simple: use already published Applets or create custom workflows in seconds.
Start a free trial of IFTTT Pro and start automating!