present
Tools for putting the phone down.
The people in front of us are the rarest thing we have, and the easiest to look past. A glance at a screen is small. A thousand glances is a dinner nobody remembers.
These are small tools for the moment before the glance. None of them want your attention. There are no accounts, no feeds, no streaks, no notifications, and nothing leaves your device. If a tool needs the phone at all, it needs it for seconds.
Use one, then put the phone face down. That is the whole point.
The tools
At the table
One phone, in the middle, for a few seconds at a time.
- 1
Table Pact
One timer for the whole table. Phones down; the first to pick up owes a forfeit.
- 2
One Question
A single conversation prompt each day, the same one for everyone. Read it aloud.
- 3
Conversation Roulette
Pick a depth, tap for a question, answer out loud. Tracks nothing.
- 4
Table Quiz
A pub-quiz round about the people at the table. One phone reads, everyone writes.
- 5
Story Stack
One first line. Each person tells the next part, then passes the phone on.
- 6
Two Truths
A topic and the rule. Two truths and a lie each, out loud. Phone stays down.
- 7
Toast Generator
A name, an occasion, one opening line. The rest of the toast is yours.
- 8
Silent Minute
Tap once. Sixty blank seconds together. Then one word.
- 9
Pass the Parcel
A face-down prompt you may only read after handing the phone to your left.
Out and about
For walks, benches and evenings.
- 10
Walk & Talk
One prompt, then the screen goes dark until the walk is over.
- 11
Bench
Sit somewhere. The screen goes dark. At the end: what did you see?
- 12
Direction Dice
Left, right, straight on, or through the nearest open door. A walk you did not plan.
- 13
Sky Check
Tonight’s sunset and golden hour, worked out on your device. No weather, no alerts.
- 14
Analog Hour
Commit to one offline hour a week. Get a calendar file and a card to share.
Paper and print
Print it, cut it, leave the phone behind.
- 15
Phone Parking Signs
Printable “phones rest here” signs and table cards, as a PDF.
- 16
Noticing Cards
A printable deck of attention prompts. Add your own, print with cut lines.
- 17
Table Talk Placemats
A4 placemats with a question in each corner and dinner in the middle.
- 18
Fridge Question
This week’s question in 90-point type, sized for a fridge door.
- 19
Post It
A letter-writing prompt and a one-page template with fold marks. Then a stamp.
- 20
Screen-Free Coupons
Printable tokens for one uninterrupted hour. Cut out, hand over, redeem in person.
- 21
Guest Book
A printable page for the fridge: who came round this month.
For the home
Small rituals that move the phone out of the way.
- 22
Presence Ledger
Three lines per real conversation. A quiet monthly count. Stays on your device.
- 23
House Rules Card
Pick your household’s phone rules, edit the wording, print an A5 card.
- 24
Charger Station Kit
Five steps to one charging spot outside the bedroom, plus printable labels.
- 25
Bedtime Handover
Two ticks each night: phone is in the kitchen, alarm is on the clock. No history.
On the device
Make the screen itself less appealing.
For venues and contributors
Things that live on a wall or in the repo.
- 28
Presence Kit for Venues
How to run a phone-free hour in a café or pub, with an A3 poster to print.
- 29
Print Pack
Every printable in one PDF: signs, cards, placemats, coupons, posters.
PDF ↓
- 30
Question of the Week
A GitHub Action opens one issue a week with a prompt to improve. No app involved.
On GitHub ↗
- 31
Translations
Question banks in other languages. One JSON file per language, a switch on the page.
On GitHub ↗