Keep desired items within reach and unwanted ones out of sight — no need to resist temptation on the spot

When items are physically farther away, people tend to consume less of them. Placing snacks at a distance noticeably cuts down on intake — this effect is of moderate strength. Limiting the number of available choices also leads to a marked drop in consumption. These strategies require no willpower on your part; you can arrange everything in just a few minutes.

No cost involved; takes just a few minutes to set up. Simply move your phone to another room and lay out books and a computer on the desk.

A Cochrane review encompassing 24 randomized trials supports these findings. Moving food farther away reduces consumption, with a standardized mean difference of −0.60 (95% CI −0.84 to −0.36; based on 12 studies involving 1,098 participants; evidence of low certainty). Limiting food options yields an even stronger effect, with a standardized mean difference of −1.13 (95% CI −1.90 to −0.37; based on 3 studies involving 154 participants; evidence of low certainty). Regression analysis confirms that both distance and fewer choices amplify the effect.

This B rating stems from the fact that all 24 studies included in the review focused on food only; none examined alcohol or tobacco. Additionally, 14 of those studies were conducted in laboratory settings and originated from high-income countries. Applying these same principles to phones and video games is a logical extrapolation, as no direct trials exist on this specific use case. One study directly examined the effect of removing phones from one’s line of sight; see Section 3, Item 1 for details (turning off nonessential notifications and keeping phones out of sight while working).

Hollands GJ, Carter P, Anwer S, et al. (2019). Altering the availability or proximity of food, alcohol, and tobacco products to change their selection and consumption. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9, CD012573. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012573.pub3