Willstone

Have you ever felt this way: "I spend too much time on social media, mindlessly scrolling through my phone" "I want to limit my phone usage, but I keep removing the limits after apps get locked" "Why can't I control myself?" "How did it get to 2 AM when I was just browsing for a bit..."

WillStone is an app designed to help you gradually reduce phone usage. Instead of implementing strict daily screen time limits like other digital wellbeing apps, we've designed a unique time exchange system:

Entertainment apps have limited usage time, but you can earn more screen time through focused activities and positive apps (such as learning, exercising, walking, meditation, building habits, early bedtime, etc.).

We help you put down your phone progressively while building healthy habits!

【Design Philosophy】

• Immediate satisfaction drives motivation: A 1898 study by Thorndike showed that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences tend to be repeated, while those leading to unpleasant outcomes are less likely to recur. James Clear's "Atomic Habits" also mentions the four-step habit model—cue, craving, response, and reward.
• Cold turkey approaches are hard to maintain: We've tried many screen control apps like Opal, ClearSpace and Apple Screen Time. Often, these get uninstalled after 3 days—just like quitting any addictive substance, going cold turkey rarely works.
• The key to painlessly building good habits is: balancing desires with personal growth.

【How It Works】

• First, set up two categories of apps:
• Apps you want to limit, such as Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, shopping apps, etc. We'll call these "entertainment apps."
• Apps that help you grow, like reading apps, Duolingo, vocabulary builders, etc. After setup, grant WillStone screen time access permissions to begin.
• Initially, you get 10 minutes daily for entertainment apps: Once you exceed this, a full-screen notification appears with no "remind me later" option.
• Want more entertainment time? Use positive apps to earn additional screen time. Read books, learn vocabulary, and you can continue browsing. You can also earn time by walking or exercising.