The Hits: Annoying app tells me what I don't want to know

The Hits DJs, Adam Green and Megan Banks.

Apps. There's an app for everything these days.

Want to know exactly how much cheese you've eaten over the past three months of throw-together platter lunches, and cheeky 10.55pm there's nothing in the fridge so I'll just have these four slices of tasty to get me through the night? Cheesetrak is the app for that.

Okay, so maybe there isn't a cheesetrak (Could that be my million-dollar idea?) but for nearly everything else in life you can find something on the app store.

Lose weight, gain weight, learn a language, learn an instrument, pass time while on the loo? Get an app.

Like so many others out there I found myself reaching for my pocket at every given break in life.

Just finished pushing the kids on the swing and got a second to sit on the park bench? Quick scroll of the 'gram.

Potato's in the pot and element turned on, better check the news sites in case of something important! (Handy hint, the news will ALWAYS be there).

So it was with a small pang of irony I reached for my device to download a programme to help me stop using my phone so much. A stop that app-app if you will.

Setting a realistic usage target was the first point of duty. Factoring in work use, communication, and the occasional Facebook update I settled on three hours daily. Yes, I know, excessive, or so I thought.

"Would you like to track your screen time?" The app innocently asks on startup. Yes. That's the reason I got you free from the app store. "Would you like to purchase the full version?" No. That's the reason I got you FREE from the app store.

And so the tracking began. "You are getting close to your allocated screen time of three hours," said the tracker.

I quickly deleted the notification and pretended I hadn't seen it, as it was only 2pm and there was a lot of day to go.

"Daily usage statistics available," it suggested at bed time. "Too tired to check that" is what I told myself. A lie. I just knew it would be terrible. But at least I was aware of it, right?

And so began a daily battle. The app reminding me of my failings, me fighting to ignore it. And so I've decided I'll delete it, if I can figure out how. There's probably an app for that.

Don't miss Adam Green and Megan Banks on The Hits Hawke's Bay from 6am to 9am, Monday to Friday