How to stop scrolling your phone at work
Scrolling at work usually starts in a small gap: a file is loading, a meeting hasn't started, a task feels hard. The phone is on the desk, so you pick it up. What helps is making the feed harder to reach during work hours without cutting yourself off from messages. On iPhone, a Work Focus can keep social apps quiet and switch to a Home Screen page without them, and a Screen Time limit can stop those apps opening. If you need Instagram for work, hide only Reels, Explore and suggested posts instead.
Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo, so read the minulo parts with that in mind. Apple's help pages below were opened and checked on 2026-10-24. minulo figures come from our own anonymous app data, and how they were counted is written next to them.
| What pulls you in | Setting | What it does | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notifications | A Work Focus that only allows work apps to notify you | Social apps stay quiet during work hours. | It doesn't stop you opening the apps. |
| The icon is right there | A Focus Home Screen page without social apps | Work apps on screen, social apps out of sight. | They are still in the App Library and search. |
| You open them anyway | A Screen Time App Limit or Downtime with blocking | The apps won't open at the times you set. | Easy to override if you know the passcode. |
| You need Instagram for work | minulo | Hides Reels, Explore and suggested posts. Posting, comments and DMs still work. | iPhone only. It can't change the official apps. |
When it usually happens
You send a report, wait for the reply, and pick up the phone. Two reels later the reply has arrived and you haven't seen it. Or a hard email is open on the screen and checking Instagram feels easier than starting it. These gaps are short, and Reels and Shorts are made to fill a minute or two.
minulo's anonymous app data hints at this too. Among users aged 25 to 34 in Korea and Japan who told the app their age, 57% of weekday social media opens over the last 30 days were between 8 am and 4 pm, far more than for school-age users. That group is small (27 people), so treat it as a hint, not a measurement. We counted each time someone opened a social network inside minulo, in local time.
Set up a Work Focus
Apple's guide says a Focus lets you choose which apps can send notifications while it is on, and can switch to a customized Home Screen page to help limit distractions.
- Open Settings > Focus and tap Work (or add a new Focus).
- Under Apps, choose the apps allowed to notify you, such as work chat, email and calendar. Leave social apps out.
- Choose a Home Screen page that only has work apps on it.
- Set the Focus to turn on during your working hours.
A Focus quiets apps but doesn't block them. If you open Instagram yourself, it opens.
Block social apps during work hours
Screen Time can stop apps from opening: an App Limit for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube with Block at End of Limit, or a Downtime schedule for your working hours with Block at Downtime. If you know the passcode, it is a speed bump you can tap past, but for some people that one extra step is enough. It blocks DMs and everything else in those apps. Steps: How to block Instagram on iPhone.
Move the phone
The cheapest change is distance. During focused work, put the phone in a bag or a drawer, out of reach, and keep work messages on the computer. When picking it up means standing up, fewer of those small checks start.
If you use Instagram for work
Social media managers, shop owners and recruiters can't just block Instagram. minulo opens Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and other networks inside the app with Reels, Shorts, Explore and suggested posts hidden, while posting, comments and DMs keep working. Hiding is free.
Limits: Stories, voice messages and calls aren't available inside minulo because the web versions of these services don't have them, and Take a break opens the official app for the minutes you choose. While minulo blocks an official app, that app's notifications don't arrive, so if you rely on Instagram notifications for work, leave the official app unblocked and use minulo for browsing. minulo is iPhone only.
A workday setup
- Morning. The Work Focus turns on when you start, and the phone goes in your bag.
- Breaks. Check messages on purpose, at lunch and mid-afternoon.
- Social media for work. Use minulo, so the feed isn't there when you post or reply.
- Evening. The Focus turns off. If evenings are when you lose time, a free minulo block (up to 2 hours) or a Downtime schedule covers that too.
How do I stop scrolling on my phone at work?
Make the feed harder to reach during work hours. Turn on a Work Focus that keeps social apps quiet and shows a Home Screen page without them, set a Screen Time limit for those apps, and keep the phone out of reach. If you need Instagram for work, hide Reels and Explore instead of blocking the whole app.
Does a Work Focus block apps on iPhone?
No. A Focus controls which apps can send notifications and can switch your Home Screen page, but you can still open any app. To stop apps from opening, use a Screen Time App Limit or Downtime with blocking.
Why do I keep checking my phone at work?
Usually because of short gaps: waiting for a reply, a loading screen, or a task you don't want to start. The phone is within reach, and Reels and Shorts are made to fill a minute or two. Moving the phone and quieting social apps removes many of those prompts.
How can I use Instagram for work without getting distracted?
Use it without the feed. On iPhone, minulo opens Instagram with Reels, Explore and suggested posts hidden while posting, comments and DMs keep working. Hiding is free. Stories and calls still need the official app.
Can I block social media only during work hours?
Yes. Use a Screen Time Downtime schedule or App Limit for your working hours, or minulo's blocking, which is free for up to 2 hours per block. Automatic schedules by day and time are part of minulo Pro.
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