Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Measure Baseline Screen Time and Set Specific Reduction Rules
1–2 weeks
Use your device's built-in screen time reporting (iOS Screen Time, Android Digital Wellbeing) to document your baseline daily screen time over one full week, broken down by category and app. Based on this data, identify which categories (social media, news, video streaming, games) contribute most to your total and set specific, measurable rules for your detox period: which apps are off-limits, which platforms are allowed but limited, and which are unrestricted.
Proof required
Submit: (a) screen time screenshots from your device showing at least seven consecutive days of baseline data, broken down by app or category, and (b) your detox rules document naming each category, whether it is banned, limited (with stated daily maximum), or unrestricted during the detox, and the duration of your detox (minimum 21 days, recommended 30). Rules must be specific — 'less social media' is not a rule.
What gets checked
- Baseline data is from the device's own screen time tool — not a self-estimate
- Rules are specific and measurable — 'Instagram: banned for 30 days' or 'news apps: 15 minutes per day between 7pm and 8pm only'
- Detox duration is at least 21 days — shorter periods do not allow habit formation to occur
Common mistakes
- Setting vague rules — 'reduce social media' without specific apps, time limits, or time-of-day restrictions will not produce measurable change
- Detox duration under 21 days — research on habit change suggests minimum three weeks for new patterns to begin stabilising
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- Check that the baseline data is from the device's own screen time tool — self-estimates are unreliable. The baseline is the foundation for measuring change.
- Review the rules document: are the rules specific enough to be checkable? 'Reduce screen time' is not checkable; 'Instagram banned, YouTube limited to 20 minutes per day' is.
Complete 30 Days of Digital Detox with Daily Log
30 days
Execute the digital detox for 30 consecutive days, maintaining a brief daily log noting whether you followed your rules that day, any rule violations and their circumstances, and any notable changes in how you feel, sleep, or focus. The log does not need to be long — one to three sentences per day is sufficient. Honesty about violations matters more than perfect adherence.
Proof required
Submit: (a) your 30-day daily log (minimum one sentence per day, naming the date), (b) weekly screen time screenshots from your device showing screen time during each of the four weeks of the detox, and (c) a comparison screenshot showing your week-4 screen time versus your baseline week. The log must show honest tracking — days where you violated your rules should be noted, not omitted.
What gets checked
- 30 daily log entries are present with dates — not a weekly summary
- Weekly screen time screenshots are from the same device as the baseline screenshots
- Log entries include at least some honest notes about violations — a log showing zero violations across 30 days is implausible and suggests idealised self-reporting
Common mistakes
- Log entries are all identical or near-identical across 30 days — genuine daily logs vary as experiences change across the month
- No screen time screenshots during the detox period — the device data is the objective check on subjective self-reporting
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- Review the log for authenticity: do the entries reflect real daily experience? Entries that mention specific situations ('skipped Twitter during my morning commute but checked it at lunch') are more credible than generic 'followed rules today'.
- Compare the weekly screen time screenshots to the baseline: is there a measurable reduction in the categories targeted by the detox rules?
Post-Detox Reflection and Habit Architecture for Ongoing Change
1–2 weeks
After completing the detox, take a final screen time measurement and compare it to your baseline. Write a structured reflection on what changed, what didn't, what was harder than expected, and what you intend to keep as a permanent habit. Design a post-detox digital habit plan — not a return to baseline, but a set of rules that you intend to maintain indefinitely.
Proof required
Submit: (a) a final week screen time screenshot from your device, (b) a comparison table showing baseline vs final week screen time by category, (c) a written reflection (minimum 400 words) on what changed in your experience, attention, sleep, or mood across the 30 days, and (d) your permanent post-detox digital habit plan specifying which detox rules you are keeping permanently and which you are relaxing.
What gets checked
- Comparison table uses the same categories from the baseline — not different categories chosen to show better results
- Reflection is specific — what actually changed in your daily experience, not what you hoped would change
- Post-detox plan maintains at least some restrictions — a plan that returns fully to baseline suggests the detox had no lasting effect
Common mistakes
- Post-detox plan immediately returns to all pre-detox behaviours — the purpose of the detox is to create permanent habits, not a temporary break
- Reflection is all positive — honest reflections note that some changes didn't happen and some restrictions were harder than others
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- Compare baseline and final week screen time side by side. A meaningful detox typically shows at least 30% reduction in the targeted categories.
- Ask: 'What specific rule from your detox are you keeping permanently and why?' The answer reveals whether the detox produced genuine insight about the person's relationship with digital technology.