You’re not alone. This stuff is incredibly addictive. The clever people who build this stuff know this and exploit us accordingly. It often helps me to think about this fact when I think I’m getting overly reliant on my phone. Every time I use my phone I’m making the tech billionaires that little bit richer.

It’s a case of building new habits. I leave mine at home now if I’m going out for a while. I’ve used “excuses” to carry it with me in the past, like using my phone for contactless payments, but it’s just as easy to leave my phone at home and carry my bank card with me.

If I’m at home I’ll leave my phone in another room, preferably upstairs, where I know I’ll lose the enthusiasm to keep going and checking it. I mostly have it on silent now all day.

It’s not easy, but like most things, if you really want to break the habit, then you can.

It’s a horrible feeling, being reliant on these devices.