MyTime: Supporting Smartphone Non-Use

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Do you ever use your phone in ways you later regret or feel are a waste of your time? Do you ever use your phone in ways that leave you feeling energized or productive? Many people report both and say that they like having their phones handy  but also wish they could change a few habits. 

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After soliciting input from hundreds of smartphone users, we created MyTime, a tool for keeping track of the time you spend on each app and setting app-specific goals. MyTime can passively provide information about what you do, or it can remind you of your goals and notify you as you veer off-course. Building on users' interest in mindfulness and using their phone with intention, MyTime also supports integration with other goals and can remind you of other priorities, like meeting a deadline, spending time with a friend, or getting to bed by 10. 

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MyTime is available as a free public alpha on the Google Play Store and the source code is available on github. Ray Hong, Yoshi Kohno, and Julie Kientz all collaborated in the design of MyTime.

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