How the Digital Detox Score is calculated

The Digital Detox Score is designed to be simple, explainable, and behavior-focused. It’s not trying to “diagnose addiction,” and it doesn’t judge you for using your phone to work. Instead, it looks at the patterns that typically create a sense of being pulled by your phone: frequent checking, constant interruptions, and bedtime scrolling. Then it balances that with protective behaviors: deep focus time and meaningful offline time.

Your score is built from seven mini-scores, each scaled from 0 to 100. Five of them are “friction” signals (more of them usually hurts your boundaries), and two are “recovery” signals (more of them usually helps your boundaries). We then combine them with weights so the final number stays easy to interpret.

• Screen Time Score (22% weight): your total hours. Lower is usually better, but not all screen time is equal — the score is about boundary pressure.
• Pickups Score (16%): how often you pick up your phone. This is a strong proxy for attention fragmentation.
• Social Scrolling Score (14%): time spent in social feeds. Long social sessions can be fun, but they also tend to be the hardest to “end.”
• Late-Night Score (14%): minutes you scroll after bedtime. This is heavily weighted because it often damages sleep quality.
• Notifications Score (10%): how often your phone pulls you. Fewer notifications = fewer micro-interruptions.
• Focus Score (12%): minutes of deep focus / no-phone time. This is a protective habit that rebuilds your attention span.
• Offline Life Score (12%): minutes spent in real life: walking, exercise, hobbies, friends, cooking, reading, etc.

Each mini-score uses a clamp rule: it never goes below 0 or above 100. Here are the formulas (in plain English):

• Screen Time Score: Start at 100. After 3 hours/day, subtract 8 points per extra hour (e.g., 5 hours = 84). Scores bottom out at 0.
• Pickups Score: Start at 100. Subtract pickups scaled so that ~150 pickups/day reaches ~0.
• Social Scrolling Score: Start at 100. Subtract scrolling scaled so ~240 minutes/day (4 hours) reaches ~0.
• Late-Night Score: Start at 100. Subtract late-night minutes scaled so ~120 minutes/night reaches ~0.
• Notifications Score: Start at 100. Subtract notifications scaled so ~200/day reaches ~0.
• Focus Score: Add points for focus so that ~180 minutes/day reaches ~100.
• Offline Life Score: Add points for offline time so that ~240 minutes/day reaches ~100.

Finally, we combine them: Detox Score = 0.22·Screen + 0.16·Pickups + 0.14·Social + 0.14·LateNight + 0.10·Notifications + 0.12·Focus + 0.12·Offline (rounded to the nearest whole number).

Why weights? Because not all habits “feel” equally disruptive. Late-night use tends to show up quickly as fatigue, brain fog, and mood drag. Pickups and notifications tend to destroy the ability to stay in flow. Total screen time matters too — but it can include work, maps, music, messages, and real life utility. So the score is deliberately not “screen time only.” It’s an attention-health blend.

Digital Detox Score examples (realistic scenarios)

These examples show how the same person can have very different scores on different days — and why the best strategy is improving one lever at a time. Try copying an example into the inputs to see the breakdown.

• Screen time: 6.0h
• Pickups: 90
• Social: 75 min
• Late-night: 20 min
• Notifications: 110
• Focus: 45 min
• Offline: 90 min

Interpretation: This is “drifting but manageable.” You’re not in crisis, but the day likely feels slightly scattered. The highest leverage improvement here is usually reducing pickups/notifications or protecting one longer focus block.

• Screen time: 8.5h
• Pickups: 140
• Social: 180 min
• Late-night: 90 min
• Notifications: 200
• Focus: 10 min
• Offline: 30 min

Interpretation: This day feels like being “pulled” by the phone. One fix can change everything: a hard bedtime rule (phone outside bedroom) often raises the score dramatically even if the rest of the day isn’t perfect.

• Screen time: 3.5h
• Pickups: 45
• Social: 25 min
• Late-night: 0 min
• Notifications: 55
• Focus: 150 min
• Offline: 180 min

Interpretation: Calm and intentional. The phone still exists, but it’s not steering the day. The goal isn’t living here every day — it’s having the ability to create this day when you need it.

If your screen time is high due to work (laptop + phone), you can still score well if pickups, notifications, and late-night use are controlled and you protect offline recovery. That’s why this calculator is not purely “hours = bad.”

How to use this score (without turning it into a guilt tool)

The healthiest way to use a “detox score” is to treat it like a weather report, not a personality test. A low score doesn’t mean you’re weak. It usually means you’re tired, stressed, bored, lonely, overwhelmed, or living in a notification-heavy environment. Your phone is simply the fastest available dopamine machine.

Here’s the best workflow:

• Step 1 — Calculate your baseline. Do it on a typical weekday and a typical weekend day.
• Step 2 — Choose one lever. Pick the weakest mini-score in your breakdown.
• Step 3 — Change one habit for 7 days. Keep it small: “No social apps before lunch” or “Phone outside bedroom.”
• Step 4 — Recalculate daily. You want the feedback loop, not perfection.
• Step 5 — Track your wins. Sleep improved? More reading? More calm? Those are the real benefits.

The reason this works is psychological: your brain changes faster when you can see progress. If you try to overhaul everything at once (no phone, no apps, no fun), you usually rebound hard. If you change one habit and watch your score rise, you start believing you can control your attention again.

A helpful mindset: don’t aim for a constant 90+. Aim for being able to move from a 40 day to a 60 day, and from a 60 day to a 75 day when you want. That’s real digital self-control.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is a high screen time always “bad”?

  No. Screen time can include work, learning, navigation, communication, music, and creative projects. What tends to feel harmful is unintentional screen time: constant checking, endless feeds, and bedtime scrolling. That’s why this calculator includes pickups, notifications, and late-night use.

• What’s a “good” Digital Detox Score?

  Most people land between 45 and 75 on typical days. If you’re above 80 regularly, you likely have strong boundaries and a lifestyle that supports offline time. If you’re under 40, focus on one habit first (late-night, pickups, or notifications) and re-score after a week.

• Why do pickups matter so much?

  Pickups are a proxy for attention fragmentation: every time you check, your brain “context switches.” Even a quick glance can break flow and increase stress. Reducing pickups often improves calmness faster than reducing total screen time.

• How do I estimate notifications?

  Most phones show a daily notification count. If you can’t find it, estimate based on your apps. Group chats, social apps, email, and news can generate huge volume. Turning off non-essential alerts is one of the easiest ways to boost your score.

• Can I use this for kids/teens?

  You can, but use it carefully. Scores can become shame triggers. If you’re using this with kids, treat it like a family game: pick one habit to improve together (like phone-free meals), and celebrate progress instead of punishing low numbers.

• Does this replace professional help?

  No. If screen use is linked to anxiety, depression, insomnia, or safety issues, a licensed professional can help you build healthier coping strategies. This calculator is a motivational tool, not treatment.

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