THE NEW YORK TIMES – Designed by two Gen Z college grads who were just as preoccupied with their smartphones as I am, the Brick claims to help you cut out distractions so that you can be present and focus on what really matters.

It’s $60 for a little plastic box about the size of a refrigerator magnet, which seems a little steep — especially when you consider that self-control is free — but it doesn’t require a subscription, so it is a one-time cost.

What sets the Brick apart from other screen-time apps, such as Opal (which I’ve used since writing about breaking up with my phone in 2024), is that you need to physically “Brick” and “Unbrick” your phone.

Tapping your phone against the little box cuts off your access to the apps you’ve deemed most distracting — and you can regain access to those blocked apps only by tapping your phone on the magnet again.

That means if you Brick your phone and then leave the house, you’re locked out until you come back. The Brick makes physically logging off a thing again.

I found the Brick easy to use out of the box, as it required only a few minutes of setup. I popped the little square magnet onto my fridge, used the QR code to download the accompanying app, and started blocking the apps that were sucking out my soul:

Instagram, TikTok, and some mindless games I’d taken to. The whole process took about three minutes.

The Brick is strict, and that’s why it’s great

Even though setup was easy, actually using the Brick took some time. I hesitated before Bricking my phone.

I was eager to cut back on screen time, theoretically, but I didn’t want to give up unfettered access to my comfort apps, which offered a quick, easy escape from the daily stress of life in 2025 … read more.