Make it a household thing.

To help your teen reduce their screen time, focus on collaborative problem-solving, household boundaries, and attractive offline alternatives rather than confiscating devices. Involve them in making the rules and screen goals so they feel a sense of ownership instead of rebellion. And don’t forget to model good habits, lead the way by being consistent with your Mondays.

It’s important to acknowledge the social aspect for teens, they might want to let their friends know that they’re trying Mobile Free Mondays, so no panic ensues.

Depending on how strict you want to be, you can experiment with keeping the phone out of the bedrooms at night. Create a central family charging station where all devices go at night, make sure an alarm clock is set up if phones are typically used for this.

Be prepared for the possibility of psychological and behavioural withdrawal symptoms. Smartphone dependency is real, impacting the brain's dopamine reward system, disruption in routines can trigger genuine distress and dysregulation. If you or someone in your household becomes very distressed when cutting back, or their phone use is affecting sleep, school, or everyday life, speak to your GP or a qualified mental-health professional for advice.

Ask whether there’s a practical concern behind that: will they struggle to reach you, or be left dealing with shared jobs? Sort those bits out together. If they’re simply not interested, you can still take part. Agree one small way they could support you, without expecting them to put their own phone away.