This App Brutally Shames You by Tracking How Many Hours You’ve Lost to Scrolling
Oh My Hours is an iPhone app that marks each hour spent using chosen distracting apps as “lost”. Its deliberately stark display is designed to make people more aware of time spent scrolling and encourage healthier phone habits.
Users select distracting apps or categories and set a usage threshold; quiet hours can mark an entire period as lost after distracting app use. The app is free to start, with a $10 annual or $20 lifetime payment for features such as adjustable thresholds and longer-term views. Users can also correct a mark or export their statistics.
In short
- Oh My Hours marks hours spent on selected distracting apps as lost.
- Quiet hours and longer-term views help users spot patterns.
- Core use is free; extra features require payment.
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The case for
A blunt record of time spent in distracting apps can make an easy-to-ignore habit visible and prompt people to reclaim time for priorities they value. Because users choose the apps and thresholds, can correct records and may review longer-term patterns, the tool can support self-directed change rather than impose it.
The case against
Labelling time as “lost” can turn a neutral measure of phone use into a judgement, potentially creating guilt without addressing why someone reaches for those apps. The label may also oversimplify necessary or enjoyable use, and users who find it demotivating could benefit more from gentler tracking or other ways to build healthier habits.
Explained simply
Smartphones record how long people use individual apps, and built-in screen-time tools can show those totals. Social media, video and other apps are designed for frequent use, so people may spend more time scrolling than they intended.
Oh My Hours is an iPhone app that lets users choose which apps or categories count as distractions and set a usage limit. It labels an hour as “lost” when use passes that limit, turning screen-time records into a prompt to reflect on phone habits.
The app’s approach matters because it frames phone use as a question of how people manage their attention and time. Its labels are a design choice, rather than an independent measure of whether time spent on an app is useful or harmful.
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