# Change your defaults

By [Mickey Mellen](https://paragraph.com/@mickey-mellen) · 2024-07-18

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[**Change your defaults**](https://www.mickmel.com/change-your-defaults/)

One of the biggest problems people face on their phones is getting sucked into a bout of “doomscrolling” — just mindlessly going through never-ending social media feeds. Most of us open social media apps with a bit of purpose in mind, but it’s easy to get sucked into the feed for longer than we intended.

As I’ve been [playing with different launchers for my phone](https://www.mickmel.com/niagara-launcher-for-android/), the one thing that has helped a lot is keeping the social media apps tucked away. They’re easy enough to get to if I want them, but they’re not on my home screen so I never notice them just sitting there. Out of sight, out of mind. [Robert](https://www.greenmellenmedia.com/team/robert-carnes/) takes it even further and has zero apps on his home screen and accesses everything from the main app drawer. This takes intention to a whole new level and is a great way to do things.

I keep a few icons on my home screen, but **they’re all either apps with a specific purpose** (like Google Maps or [Beeper](https://www.mickmel.com/consolidating-my-messages-with-beeper/)) or else they’re apps that I’m happy to “waste” some time using, like [Readwise](https://www.mickmel.com/a-little-readwise-every-day/) or [Anki](https://www.mickmel.com/five-years-of-anki/). If I’m bored in a waiting room or something, spending time in those apps is far better than heading into Facebook or Instagram.

I still keep the social media apps on my phone, and certainly use them from time to time, but by making other apps my default time-killers it really helps to keep things in check.

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*Originally published on [Mickey Mellen](https://paragraph.com/@mickey-mellen/change-your-defaults)*