Break the constant checking loop.
Pacers reach for their phone 60+ times a day—not because they want to, but because it's automatic. The 7-day Pacer reset builds friction into the reflex so you notice before you spiral.
Your 7-day Pacer reset
Day 1 · Baseline & trigger audit
Log your baseline ScreenTime Score, identify your top 3 checking triggers (boredom, waiting, mid-task breaks), and enable basic pause delays.
Day 2 · Scene layering
Add Work Focus Scene with social pauses and streaming blocks. Practice the "notice → pause → choose" loop during low-stakes moments.
Day 3 · SMS accountability
Turn on SMS Buddy check-ins every 3 hours. Each ping prompts a micro-win log or quick drift reset before the habit spiral starts.
Day 4 · Extend the pause
Increase pause delays to 15 seconds for high-friction sites. Track whether longer pauses lead to more bail-outs or just more annoyance.
Day 5 · Replacement rituals
Test 3 micro-alternatives: 2-minute walk, water refill, or 3 deep breaths. Buddy prompts you to try one before checking your phone.
Day 6 · Weekend stress test
Maintain scenes and check-ins through the weekend when structure drops. Use dashboard data to spot Saturday drift patterns.
Day 7 · Progress review
Compare ScreenTime Score receipts, identify your strongest win pattern, and schedule next-week experiments based on what stuck.
Tools Pacers rely on
Pacer Scenes
Adds 5–15 second pause delays before opening distracting sites. Scenes escalate friction based on your drift patterns and time of day.
SMS Buddy Check-ins
Every 3 hours, Buddy texts to log your wins or catch drift. Miss two check-ins and you get routed to rapid reset mode with tighter constraints.
Focus Extension Drift Log
Tracks every URL, timestamp, and session length. Each log feeds your ScreenTime Score so you see which pauses actually prevent spirals.
Pacers in the wild
- "The 15-second pause is just long enough to remember what I was actually doing. I bail 80% of the time now." — Jordan, Product Manager
- "Buddy check-ins feel like a coach, not a nag. I hit 12 on-time wins in week two, which was unheard of for me." — Aisha, Freelance Designer
- "ScreenTime Score +28 in 21 days. The receipts prove I'm not imagining it—I actually check less." — Sam, Software Engineer