Jomo Guide

A practical guide to keep your screen time and focus in check, day after day. Based on lessons learned from thousands of successful Jomo users.

🏁 You've made a crucial choice: to cut down on your screen time!

Did you think this task was impossible? Here's some encouraging news: it's definitely achievable! Think of your brain as a powerful muscle. Neglecting it for some time doesn't render it ineffective. With just a bit of effort, a few smart strategies, and strong motivation, you can change this. It's time to take back control, and this time, for good!

It's enough to dedicate so much time to it, and you want to cut back in order to enjoy more time with your family, friends, be more focused at work, or while you're studying.

Until now, were you convinced it was a lost cause? Good news, that's not true! You should know that our brain is like a big muscle. Just because it hasn't been exercised for a while doesn't mean it's useless. It takes a little effort, some good tricks, and motivation to change that and regain control (for good)!

Don't worry, we're here to guide you.

How Do I Stick to My Restrictions?

Jomo is your ally,
not your enemy.

Don't view rules merely as constraints. Thinking of app limits or session controls as obstacles make them less effective. Jomo is not an enemy; it's a valuable ally designed to help you make the most of your time.

Start by identifying a concrete motivation. That way, you're not merely imposing limits on your apps; you're striving towards a meaningful goal, something truly significant for you.

Don't see rules as simple restrictions. If you perceive app limits or sessions as adversaries, it won't be effective. Jomo is not your enemy; it's your time-saving ally, here to assist you in maximizing your time.

The first thing to do is find a concrete motivation. This will greatly assist you with your restrictions. You're not just applying restrictions to your apps; you're working towards a goal, doing something genuinely important for you.

"How Can I Restrict Myself So I Don't Bypass My Rules?"

Don't be strict, be smart.

When people get frustrated with their screen time rules, they often look for stricter and stricter restrictions. But, in most cases, it's pointless and dangerous. Be more strategic:

Focus on being more intentional with your phone vs. going on a detox. It's all about finding the right balance between the benefits and the frustrations so you can maintain the change. A great way to do this on Jomo is to toggle on the "Breaks" option on your blocking sessions so you can take short, mindful breaks when you need to.

Identify activities that don't involve screens. Take time to list 10 activities that you can think of. Whenever you're tempted to reach for your phone, engage in one of these instead.
Commit to change. If you're not sincerely willing to change, nothing will be effective. It's like buying cigarettes and spending time with smokers while trying to quit smoking. It doesn't make sense. Make sure you equip yourself with the right tools and believe in yourself!

The first step is to strengthen the blocking level. Sometimes, simply using Strict mode, which prevents you from easily removing the restrictions, is sufficient. But, above all, don't attempt to escalate; it's futile.

And it's futile because force doesn't solve anything. Be smarter. Many people miss the point. Blocking is there to assist you, but to truly help yourself, you need to do two things independently:

Find activities to do WITHOUT screens. Choose things you enjoy, activities you've always wanted to explore, and ensure that you feel more inclined to do them than reaching for your phone. So, take a moment and create a list of 10 activities that come to mind. Whenever you feel tempted, engage in one of these activities.
Be determined to change. Nothing will work if you don't genuinely want to change. It's like continuing to buy cigarettes and hanging out with smokers when you genuinely want to quit. It's absurd. Ensure you give yourself the means and believe in yourself!

What's Best for Me: Sessions or Conditions?

Find screen time rules that work for you.

You have a problem with your phone, but you don't really know where to start. To help you see things more clearly, take the test! Just 5 minutes can help you save more than 2 hours per day.

(It's free, and I promise you won't leave with nothing!)

You have a problem with your phone, but you don't really know what it is. You're lost in all the restrictions... To help you see things more clearly, take the test! Take 5 minutes to save over 2 hours a day.
(It's free, and I promise you won't leave with nothing!)

👋 Find My Screen Time Rules

Once you have your results, you can add your rule in the Jomo app. Try to stick to it for at least three days if you want to see results. It's like a diet; you can't lose ten kilos by eating salad once. To see your results, go to the Profile section. There, you'll find several graphs to help you visualize your progress.

Once you have your results, you can add your restriction. Try to stick to it for at least 3 days if you want to see results. It's like a diet; you can't lose 10 kilos by eating salad once. To see your results, go to the Profile section. You'll find several graphs to help you visualize your progress.

"How to Spend Less Time on Screens?"

Find your happiness
outside.

It may sound absurd, but yes, we don't know how to be bored anymore, and that's a BIG problem. It's a problem because by training your brain to distract itself at every moment of downtime or inactivity, you're teaching it not to tolerate boredom. It needs to learn to resist temptation. By becoming more resistant to temptation in general, your brain will be much better at concentrating when you're working (we're not saying this, Cal Newport is).

But that's not all: by training your brain to seek satisfaction in anything and everything, it ends up becoming greedier and greedier, wanting more and more. It craves its dopamine shot! As a result, the little things no longer interest it; they're just too bland. Shorts, Reels, and TikTok are more tempting because they provide a dopamine hit (and without any effort). You have to teach your brain to be bored so that it can better appreciate life's "normal" activities.

The best way to do this is to gradually cut down, and above all, find activities to do OUTSIDE THE SCREEN. The key to success? Make your phone less interesting than your real life!

"How Do I Get Motivated to Do Things I Don't Want To?"

Block and get rewarded.

If you don't keep most of your commitments and end up lacking motivation, you're not being kind enough to yourself. You deserve to congratulate yourself and recognize your achievements when you accomplish something. No, it's not silly. Receiving acknowledgment has been proven to increase motivation. So be proud of yourself and reward yourself.

Did you know that you can do this very simply with Jomo? By adding a "Habit" condition, you can block apps and associate tasks with them. Basically, they'll be blocked until you've completed what's on the list! By turning these apps into real treats, you'll find much more motivation than if you simply block them, as if you were deprived of them (punished).

If you have an unanswered question or suggestion, please let us know by clicking on the message bubble at the bottom of your screen.

P.S: This guide is a living document that will be updated over time, so don't hesitate to come back!

Written with Love in Paris