The Kaizen blog
Practical guides on screen time, digital detox, focus and building better habits.
A complete, practical guide to blocking distracting apps on iPhone — Screen Time limits, Focus modes, and dedicated blockers — plus how to make a block you won't tap straight past.
September 5, 2026 · 4 min read
A fair rundown of the best screen time and app-blocking apps for iPhone — one sec, Opal, Jomo, ScreenZen, Clearspace, Freedom and Kaizen — with who each one is actually for.
September 1, 2026
Four ways to block or limit Instagram on iPhone — Screen Time, Downtime, a Focus mode, and a mindful-pause blocker — and how to stop tapping straight past the limit.
August 29, 2026
TikTok's feed is the most optimised time sink on your phone. Here's how to block or limit it on iPhone — and why a mindful pause beats a hard block for short-video apps.
August 22, 2026
Not all app blockers work the same way. Here's what separates the ones that actually change your habits from the ones you'll disable in a week — and what to look for on iOS.
August 18, 2026
one sec pioneered the pause-before-you-open mechanic. Here's an honest comparison with Kaizen — what's the same, what's different, and which one fits you.
August 15, 2026
Opal is a polished, gamified app blocker. Kaizen takes a gentler pause-first approach. Here's an honest comparison to help you pick the one that'll actually stick for you.
August 12, 2026
YouTube is the hardest app to quit because some of it is genuinely useful. Here's how to block the rabbit hole on iPhone while keeping the parts you actually want.
August 8, 2026
Screen Time limits you tap straight past, resetting bugs, the 'Ignore Limit' loophole. Why Apple's built-in tool fails for most people, and how to make a limit that holds.
August 1, 2026
Grayscale removes the colour that apps use to hook you. Here's how to turn it on, how to toggle it fast, and how to combine it with a pause for a real screen-time drop.
July 28, 2026
Doomscrolling isn't a willpower problem — it's a designed loop feeding a real anxiety. Here are 8 concrete ways to interrupt it, from notification cleanup to a pause before the feed.
July 25, 2026
Checking your phone the second you wake up? Reaching for it without thinking? Here are 9 real signs of phone addiction — and what actually works to fix it.
July 20, 2026
The 'dopamine detox' trend is half myth, half useful. Here's what the science really says, and a practical version that reduces compulsive phone use without the pseudoscience.
July 11, 2026
Blanket 'do not disturb' isn't the answer. Here's how to cut iPhone notifications down to only what matters — app by app, plus the settings that stop the pull for good.
July 7, 2026
A practical system for studying with your phone in the room without losing half your session to it — environment, timing, and a block that survives the moment you get bored.
July 4, 2026
You don't need to quit your phone — you need to change the conditions that keep you on it. Here's a practical, layered approach that works without heroic self-control.
June 30, 2026
The compulsive phone check is a conditioned reflex, not a decision. Here's how to break it: cut the triggers, add a pause, and give your hands something else to do.
June 27, 2026
How you spend the first hour after waking sets your attention for the day. Here's a simple phone-free morning routine and how to actually make it stick.
June 20, 2026
A structured 30-day plan to cut compulsive phone use — one change per week, building on the last. No going off-grid, no all-or-nothing. Just a sequence that works.
June 13, 2026
What social media addiction actually is, why the apps are built to produce it, the signs worth taking seriously, and a practical plan to loosen the grip.
June 10, 2026
Spending too long on your phone? Here are 7 practical, lasting ways to reduce your screen time without frustration — and take back control of your attention.
June 7, 2026
What is a digital detox, why does it matter, and how do you succeed without cutting everything off? A practical guide to taking back control of your attention and regaining mental clarity.
June 5, 2026