Last week, I set out to rewire my tech-addicted brain.

The problem I’m trying to solve is simple: I’m not getting a proper reset from one day to the next. That lack of reset leaves me feeling anxious throughout the day. Some people can push through and fake it, but for me, it was compounding. It was catching up, and I needed to do something about it.

I know I’m not alone in this, so I decided to share the journey.

For the month of February, I’m focusing on becoming more aware of how I use technology while building habits that help reduce the dopamine deficit I carry over from the day—and night—before.

Each day, I tracked behaviors that either reduced my tech usage or improved my overall balance:

• Wake up by 6:00 a.m. (no earlier than 5:00 a.m.)
• No phone in the bathroom (obvious—and disgusting)
• One hour of active learning (not work-related)
• “Brick” my phone for 10 hours a day (remove apps that put me into autopilot)
• Work out at least 3 times per week
• Meditate for 10 minutes
• Off tech by 8:30 p.m.
• Create deliberate family time in the morning

The biggest lesson from this week: I’m addicted.

The urge to pick up my phone is constant. Games and apps are clearly designed to reinforce that behavior. Still, for a first week, I did well.

Two habits made the biggest difference: meditation and bricking my phone.

On days I meditated—though I didn’t manage it every day—I completed about 50% more of my objectives than on days I didn’t. That surprised me. I don’t usually meditate, and I find it difficult, but the impact was undeniable. I’m going to keep doing it.

On days I bricked my phone for at least 10 hours, I completed 100% of my objectives.

For clarity, “bricking” my phone means using an app that essentially turns my smartphone into a flip phone: no apps, no web, no distractions.

For more details on my detox, go to the start here.