PERTH, AUSTRALIA / RankWire.AI / – Research indicates that over 87% of students reported fewer distractions in classrooms after the implementation of mobile phone restrictions in Australian public schools, which began in Term 1 of 2024. These measures were part of a broader effort to curb smartphone use among students. Edith Cowan University researcher Dr Jess Hardley, who has studied evolving phone habits among Australian users for more than ten years, explores how various accessories and strategies are being used to limit constant access to devices. Her recent work focuses on wall-mounted smartphone docks, traditional-style handsets, and other tools designed to reduce the immediacy of device use. The research also investigates everyday actions people take to make their smartphones less accessible.
Hardley documented a variety of practices such as leaving phones in different rooms or locking them inside drawers. Some individuals modify their screens to greyscale or impose restrictions on certain apps. For instance, one participant kept a phone in a work drawer after mobile gaming started interfering with concentration. Though these actions differ in form, they share a common feature: each creates a physical or digital obstacle that separates the user from the device at specific times of the day.
The research also examines accessories that make smartphones function more like traditional landline phones. Wall-mounted docks can hold a device in a fixed location instead of a pocket or hand. Some connected handsets utilize designs reminiscent of older home telephones, including coiled cords. Hardley studied these products alongside phone-free gatherings and locking pouches used at concerts. The research does not claim that these accessories enhance health, attention, or wellbeing.
Various methods of smartphone distancing
Hardley’s paper explores how mobile phones transitioned from portable communication tools to integral elements of daily life. Modern smartphones integrate messaging, entertainment, payments, photography, navigation, work functionalities, and internet access. Her investigation considers what happens when users intentionally make these devices less accessible. Physical separation is one method individuals employ to alter their smartphone habits, alongside restrictions applied at home, work, social events, and shared environments.
Titled Revisiting the ‘Snug Tether’: Smartphones in an Era of Scroll-Free Social Events, Landline Accessories, and Device Bans, the study appeared in M/C Journal. It revisits earlier research examining the close connection between users and their phones. The latest findings include discussions on phone jails, social events free of scrolling, retro accessories, and device restrictions. Edith Cowan University states that the research highlights practices that break the habit of constant proximity often linked to smartphone use.
Public settings also see limits on phone use
In Australia, restrictions on smartphone use have extended into public educational institutions. All public schools are set to ban or limit mobile phones starting from Term 1 of 2024, following an agreement among education ministers. A subsequent survey conducted by Edith Cowan University among nearly 1,000 principals in New South Wales found that 87% reported students being less distracted in class. Additionally, 81% observed enhanced learning outcomes after the implementation of phone restrictions.
Dr. Hardley’s research continues to focus on how individuals manage smartphones as these devices maintain a significant role in everyday routines. It identifies methods such as physical distancing, limited accessibility, and the use of phone-free environments. Retro handsets and wall-mounted docks are examples of these strategies. Edith Cowan University released its summary of the findings on Aug. 18, 2026, contributing to ongoing studies on smartphone use and digital habits.