It’s been more than ten years since the first iPhone came out and changed pretty much every facet of our daily lives.

Putting the entire internet in our collective pockets has made us ludicrously connected. We have immediate access to everything — news, entertainment, directions home, that amazing key lime pie recipe, family, friends, friends of friends, total strangers from all over the world!

No one could have imagined that your phone would be where you learned a new language, or took a course on meditation. Yet here we are, and it’s amazing.

But the smartphone revolution has had its share of downsides too.

When we first started swiping our screens we probably didn’t think they would end up ruining our sleep, deteriorating our attention, and addicting us to their pings, dings, and flashes the same way a slot machine attracts a gambler.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen more people realize that they don’t feel in control of their relationship with their phone.

In fact, our research found that the average person spends more than 3 hours a day on their phone (with 25% spending more than 4.5 hours!). While the majority of people checking their phone every 3 minutes.

Our phones have become such a huge part of our lives that simply trying to restrict them is like trying to start a diet at an all-you-can-eat restaurant. It’s not going to happen without a little help.

Today, we’re excited to announce a brand new RescueTime app for iOS and an updated Android app—giving you full control and insight into how you spend your time on all your digital devices.

Too many Digital Wellness apps only focus on what you “shouldn’t” do

When it comes to digital wellness, most mobile apps—like Apple’s upcoming Screen Time or Google’s Digital wellbeing—only focus on what you shouldn’t do.

Don’t spend so much time on Facebook.

Stop checking email all day.

Restrict your Instagram usage.

But when it comes to actually changing your behaviors, studies have found you’re more likely to succeed by doing more of the behaviors you want to. Not just by trying to stop doing the ones you don’t.

That’s because restrictions rely on willpower — and we only have a limited amount per day.

Think about dieting and being physically healthy. How many people have successfully lost weight and kept it off by using some new eating fad or crash diet? Sure, you might be able to restrict what you eat for a little while. But eventually, we all break.

Willpower alone isn’t enough to change behaviors. Instead, we need to understand the role food and exercise play in our specific lives. Not just tell ourselves “no more junk food.”

The same is true of your phone. You can’t expect to change your relationship with it just by saying “No more Facebook” or “stop checking email after 5pm.” You need to understand how it relates to your entire life — the good and the bad. And then plan accordingly.

How to truly understand (and control) how your phone use is impacting your work, attention, and focus

There are many apps and plugins that will help you understand some of your time. Even iOS and Android themselves have features to help you use your phone less.

That’s great. But without larger context, it can feel pretty dark.

The entire conversation around our phone use seems to be about overuse and impulse control, with terms like “addiction” getting tossed around much too freely. But that’s only part of the problem.

We think the big picture matters. A lot.

That’s why we’re super excited with how RescueTime’s new iOS app and updated Android apps give you more control over your relationship with your all of your devices.

Rather than simply telling you which apps you’re using on your phone or how much time you’ve spent on it, you get the larger context of how your phone time affects all your device time, your work habits, and your focus.

Here’s a high-level look at a few of the specific features that we’ve built to help you craft a meaningful and balanced relationship with your time staring at your screens.

Get real-time insights into your digital activities (and how they impact your day)