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(ABC 6 News) – If you’re anything like most Americans, you admit to being constantly on your phone. If you spend just 3-4 hours a day mindlessly scrolling—and many of us spend more—you’re losing a total of over 50 days each year staring at a screen. While taking a break from smartphone addiction is easier said than done, a unique new application called Touch Grass is here to force a much-needed digital detox.
This innovative app, which we’re naming our App of the Year, is a novel solution that can actually cost “doomscrollers” real money if they refuse to put their phone down and step outside.
What is the Touch Grass App?
The phrase “Touch Grass” is popular internet slang used to tell someone who is too obsessed with online drama or virtual life to get some perspective by interacting with the real world. This app takes that concept literally.
Instead of fighting for your attention like every other app on your device, the Touch Grass app requires you to put your phone down and connect with nature. It’s one of the most effective ways we’ve seen to help you regain control over your social media or gaming habits.
How the App Forces You Outside
Here’s how the Touch Grass app works to limit your screen time:
- Set Your Limits: You choose which apps are taking up too much of your time (e.g., TikTok, games) and set a time limit (e.g., 30 minutes).
- The Countdown: Once you reach your time limit, the app locks you out and tells you to take a break.
- The Proof: To unlock the app for another 30-minute session, you have to literally go outside and “Touch Grass.” The app requires you to turn on your camera and take a picture of your hand on grass—it won’t accept screenshots or a picture of your houseplant, so there’s no cheating!
While the app is firm, it offers one free “skip” button per month for those times when stepping outside isn’t possible. However, if you want more skips, you’ll have to pay real money—the amount is up to you.
The great news? The money the app earns from users buying these extra skips goes toward a good cause: planting trees in remote areas. It’s a guilt-free way to buy your way back into the app, with the funds contributing to environmental efforts.
The Touch Grass app is free to download and use to track two apps. Right now, it is iPhone only, but Android users can add their names to a waiting list to be notified as soon as it’s available. If you’re ready to break the cycle of doomscrolling and boost your mental health by getting outdoors, this app is worth checking out!
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