I wish I could just stop scrolling when it has ceased to bring me joy, but alas, that’s not how I’m wired.

Here are some strategies for giving books a fighting chance to compete for your attention, rated on a scale of 1-5 for self-control.

Externalize your scrolling time limits: Whether it’s Bricking your phone, using a Chrome extension, or setting a time limit on your problem apps, this lets you set your limit beforehand.

• Self-control requirement: 3. You can get around this if you’re determined, but it will at least be a reminder.

Always have a book handy—even on your phone: It’s not enough to carry a paper book with you everywhere. You should also have an ebook and an audiobook on the go. Bonus points: keep a graphic novel open in a tab on your browser. That way, when you’re clicking aimlessly, you might end up accidentally reading.

• Self-control requirement: 2. You just have to keep those apps/tabs open and not actively avoid clicking on them.

Bury your apps: If you can’t delete Instagram, TikTok, or whatever your go-to time waster app is, consider burying it. Put it on your last page of apps. Put it in a folder. Put that in another folder. Repeat.

• Self-control requirement: 3. There is some self-control required to put in the work to hide those apps, and you can still access them if you’re determined, but this at least buys you time to reconsider.

Try the gummy bear method: Lay a piece of candy over every paragraph as a reward when you finish it. This is usually used for studying, but it could work with novels, right?

• Self-control requirement: 4. You have to buy the candy without immediately eating it, lay them out on every page, and not get distracted by them while you read. Tricky.

What are your strategies for reading more and scrolling less? —DE