Listen and follow The Wirecutter ShowApple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadioIf you've ever looked at your phone's screen-time report and wondered where the day went, you're not alone. Many people want to stop mindlessly scrolling, but find it challenging to stop. Some Wirecutter staffers have found a solution: The Brick, a physical device that locks you out of the apps you choose.This episode, Wirecutter senior staff writer Elissa Sanci shares why the Brick worked for her when other approaches didn't. She explains how putting physical distance between herself and her distracting apps helped break the doom-scrolling cycle, how using scheduled "bricking" can protect your workday and mornings, and how families and roommates can share the same device.This episode coversWhy the Brick works so well. Elissa found that built-in screen-time limits and apps like Opal were too easy to bypass, while the Brick forced her to physically get up and retrieve the device before she could resume scrolling.How scheduled bricking protects your time. You can set profiles that automatically block distracting apps during certain hours, including blocking social media before your alarm even goes off so you're not tempted to start the day scrolling.How the Brick's limited emergency unbricks work. You get just five emergency ways to unlock your phone when you're away from the device, and Elissa says the scarcity makes her reluctant to waste them.Who The Brick is actually useful for. You don't have to be a social-media addict: you can block whatever is distracting you, including work apps outside office hours, and the same device can be shared among multiple people or used by parents and teens.Products we recommendA device that blocks your most distracting apps BrickBrickThe Brick temporarily blocks distracting apps and websites on your phone. To deactivate it, you have to physically touch your phone to the device. It’s an effective obstacle to doomscrolling.Buying options: $71 from Amazon, opens in a new tab$59 from Brick, opens in a new tab