Ripple
Getting your phone habits back after a long holiday or weekend
During a holiday you sleep late and scroll a lot, and in the first week back it is hard to stop. Adults sit down at work and want a few more minutes of video. Kids are still gaming the night before school. An easier route is to set the workday rules on the last day or two of the break, so the phone follows the work and school rhythm for you. The first part below is for adults going back to work, the second is for parents helping a child settle into school again. Android is at v0.1.13 and iPhone at v0.1.5, and the features differ, so both are covered.
Adults: back to work after a break
Build the workday schedule on the last day off
Make a weekday morning and afternoon schedule in Ripple, for example 9 to 12 and 14 to 18, Monday to Friday only, and put short video, livestream, game and shopping apps in it. Leave calls, chat and work apps out.
Start with a generous daily limit and lower it weekly
If you scrolled three or four hours a day on holiday, dropping to 20 minutes rarely sticks. Give TikTok or Reels 90 minutes a day at first and 60 minutes the week after. Limits go from 1 minute to 12 hours in 1 minute steps.
Use an open limit for the reflex check
The most common first week habit is picking up the phone every few minutes. Set how many times a day an app can open, and turn on the short wait before each open.
Use one-tap focus for catch-up work
When the backlog needs an hour or two of steady work, start one-tap focus and lock only the apps you pick. For a firmer rule, turn on strict mode and give an unlock code of at least 8 digits to someone at home.
Parents: settling a child before school starts
Switch to the school routine two or three days early
Set a sleep schedule first, for example 21:30 to 7:00, with games, short video and livestream apps in it. Start it two or three days before school so the first school day is easier.
Fewer games on school days, a little on weekends
In Daily limits, set a cap for games. In the first school week you can set 0 minutes, then move to 30 or 40 minutes a day once the routine is steady. The child can see how much is left today.
Turn on Anti-Uninstall and clock protection
Parents keep the unlock code on the child's phone. Turn on Anti-Uninstall, and strict mode if needed. On Android, Ripple counts time since the phone started, so moving the clock back does not reset the limits.
If the child uses an iPhone
iPhone v0.1.5 can block apps by schedule, block deleting apps, protect against clock changes and use an unlock code, so sleep and school schedules work. Open limits, daily limits, 0 minutes, one-tap focus, strict mode and website blocking are Android only for now.
Setup steps (Android v0.1.13)
Install or update to the latest version
Download the latest Android APK and turn on accessibility when asked. If you have an older build, update in Settings › About › Check for updates. On iPhone install v0.1.5, which needs iOS 16 or later.
Add a workday or school day schedule
Pick Monday to Friday and the hours, and put short video, livestream and game apps in it. Keep chat and calls out. Add a sleep schedule on a child's phone.
Set daily limits and open limits, then lower them
Start generous on the apps you scroll most and lower the limit each week. For a full break, set 0 minutes.
Set unlock codes and turn on Anti-Uninstall for a child
Adults give the code to someone at home, and parents keep the code on a child's phone. On Android turn on Anti-Uninstall, and Advanced Protection with a one-time wireless debugging pair if you want a stronger lock. On iPhone turn on the block on deleting apps.
FAQ
How do I stop scrolling at work after a long holiday?
On the last day off, use Ripple for Android v0.1.13 to make a workday schedule with short video and games in it, then add daily limits and open limits. Start generous and lower them each week. Use one-tap focus for catch-up work.
Monday mornings are the worst. What helps?
Add a Monday morning schedule, or start one-tap focus when you reach your desk. If you scroll as soon as you wake up, see the morning page.
My kid is still gaming the night before school starts. What can I do?
Set the sleep schedule two or three days before school and give games 0 minutes in the first week. Parents keep the unlock code, and with Anti-Uninstall on, changing the clock does not get around the limits.
How is this different from the weekends page?
The weekends page is about lying around scrolling on days off. This page is about the return to work and school, and pulling phone habits back step by step.
Does the iPhone version have these features?
iPhone v0.1.5 has schedules, the block on deleting apps, clock change protection and an unlock code. Daily limits, open limits, 0 minutes, one-tap focus, strict mode and website blocking are Android only.
Does it cost money or need an account?
It is free with no ads and no account.