how to stop doomscrolling
How to stop doomscrolling (without relying on willpower)
Doomscrolling is a reflex, not a character flaw. Practical ways to break it, from iPhone settings to 30-second Moves that still work on tired evenings.
Guides
Guides to scroll less and move more.
Short, practical guides written by the MiniMove team, each dated and sourced. Start with how to stop doomscrolling, exercise snacks or one-minute breathing exercises.
Topic 1 · 5 guides
Stop doomscrolling
Why the feed is so sticky, and small steps that work even on tired evenings.
doomscrolling meaning
What is doomscrolling? Meaning, why we do it, and what helps
Doomscrolling, defined in plain words: where the term comes from, why infinite feeds keep you hooked, and small, kind ways to break the loop.
what to do instead of scrolling
30 things to do instead of scrolling (each takes under 90 seconds)
30 tiny alternatives to scrolling, each shorter than a reel: moves, breaths, mind games and self-care. Pick one next time your thumb heads for TikTok.
stop scrolling in bed
How to stop scrolling in bed at night
Late-night scrolling steals the calm you were looking for. An evening routine with 60-second calm Moves and short windows that close on their own.
how to stop using my phone while studying
How to study without scrolling: a phone plan for students
Keep your phone, keep your breaks, lose the doomscroll. A simple study setup with Pomodoro breaks, 30-second Moves and short app windows.
Topic 2 · 4 guides
Move to unlock
How move-to-unlock apps work, how they compare, and Moves you can do anywhere.
how do exercise to unlock apps work
Exercise to unlock apps: how 'move to scroll' apps work
How exercise-to-unlock apps work on iPhone: Screen Time API, rep counting, clock vs usage-based timers, and what to check before you pick one.
best exercise to unlock app
The best exercise-to-unlock apps in 2026, compared honestly
Pushscroll, PushUp Time, StepBloc, Steppin, ScrollFit, UnlockFit and MiniMove compared: price, verification, timer type and who each app suits.
squats to unlock instagram
Squats to unlock Instagram: what 30 opens a day add up to
Turn every Instagram or TikTok open into 10 squats. The math, the two-minute setup on iPhone, seated and quiet options, and what happens to the urge.
exercises you can do in public discreetly
Can't do push-ups in public? Discreet Moves for the office, bus and café
No push-ups in the open-plan office. 15 invisible Moves for the bus, café or meeting room, from calf raises to breathing, each under a minute.
Topic 3 · 4 guides
Exercise snacks
Tiny moves that fit between two scrolls: quiet, seated, or stacked on a habit you already have.
exercise snacks
Exercise snacks: 1-minute moves that fit between two scrolls
What exercise snacks are, 20 no-equipment ideas under a minute, and the trick to actually doing them: attach each one to a habit you already have.
habit stacking examples
Habit stacking for exercise: attach 10 squats to something you already do
The habit stacking formula, 15 examples for movement and calm, and why your most frequent habit, opening social apps, is the best anchor you have.
quiet exercises for apartments
Quiet exercises for apartments: no-jump moves your neighbours won't hear
12 no-jump exercises your downstairs neighbours won't hear, each under a minute, plus how to make jumping jacks quiet if you really love them.
seated exercises
Seated exercises: move without leaving your chair
15 chair and desk exercises for offices, sofas and low-energy days, each under a minute: the seated versions of MiniMove's Body Moves, with simple cues.
Topic 4 · 3 guides
Breathing and mindful pauses
One-minute breaths, a ten-second intention check and a one-line journal.
1 minute breathing exercise
1-minute breathing exercises: box, 4-7-8, physiological sigh and more
Seven breathing exercises that fit in about a minute: box breathing, 4-7-8, the physiological sigh, coherent breathing and more, with simple steps.
why do I keep checking my phone
Why am I opening this app? The 10-second intention check
Most app opens are reactions, not decisions. A 10-second intention check, five everyday reasons we reach for our phones, and what to do with each.
one line gratitude journal
One-line gratitude journal: the 20-second habit
Gratitude journaling without the blank page: one line, 20 seconds, 50 prompts for days when nothing comes to mind, and a trigger that makes it daily.
Topic 5 · 2 guides
Desk and screen wellbeing
Eyes, neck, wrists and posture, in breaks of a minute or less.
micro breaks at work
Micro-breaks at your desk: posture, eyes and wrists in 60 seconds
Ten 15- to 60-second desk breaks for posture, eyes, neck and wrists, when to take them, and how to make them happen without another reminder app.
stretches for phone users
Neck and thumb stretches for heavy phone users
Six gentle stretches for your neck, shoulders, wrists and scrolling thumb, 10 to 30 seconds each, plus a simple way to remember them every day.
Topic 6 · 2 guides
App blockers and Screen Time
Every way to limit Instagram and TikTok on iPhone, and why blockers often get uninstalled.
how to block apps on iphone
How to block Instagram and TikTok on iPhone: every method compared
Screen Time limits, Focus modes, Shortcuts automations and Screen Time API apps: step by step on iOS 26, with how easily each one is bypassed.
app blockers don't work
Why you uninstall app blockers after a week (and what to try instead)
Blockers feel like punishment, so we switch them off. Why hard limits backfire, what reviewers complain about, and a kinder setup that tends to last.
Comparisons
MiniMove next to other apps.
The 6 apps people most often weigh against MiniMove, compared on the same criteria, with the date we checked them.
MiniMove vs Pushscroll
Pushscroll vs MiniMove side by side: exercises, rep counting, timer type, free version, price and languages, checked on the App Store, with a fair verdict.
MiniMove vs PushUp Time
PushUp Time vs MiniMove: exercises, camera counting, unlock times, paywall and price compared, verified on the App Store, with a fair verdict.
MiniMove vs Steppin
Steppin vs MiniMove: steps-for-minutes vs Moves of 90 seconds or less, free vs freemium, timers and languages compared, checked on the App Store.
MiniMove vs one sec
one sec vs MiniMove: breathing pause vs Moves of 90 s or less, research, free version, price and lifetime options compared, with an honest verdict.
MiniMove vs Opal
Opal vs MiniMove: scheduled blocking vs Move-to-unlock, deep focus vs habit loop, pricing and lifetime plans compared, with who should pick which.
MiniMove vs ScreenZen
ScreenZen vs MiniMove: delay timers vs Moves of 90 s or less, free vs freemium, open limits and pricing compared, with a fair verdict.
Questions
About the guides.
Who writes the MiniMove guides?
The MiniMove team writes and dates every guide, and updates it when a fact changes. Each guide lists its sources at the end, and none makes a medical claim.
Are the guides only about MiniMove?
No. They cover phone habits, breathing, tiny moves and desk breaks, and they name other tools when those fit better, including apps that compete with MiniMove.
How are the comparisons checked?
Each comparison is checked on the App Store and on the other app's own website, and shows the date of that check. The verdict says who should pick the other app before who should pick MiniMove.
Ready?
Your next scroll starts with a small win.
Free, no account. iPhone with iOS 26.5 or later.