How many times do you think you check your phone a day? The number is probably much higher than you'd guess. Phones are always within easy reach, offering instant access to the world, social media, and messages from friends and family. Even if you're not being pinged with notifications, the temptation to scroll through an app or two is always there.

One easy way to be sure you check your phone less often is to do more with the lock screen on your handset. You can populate the lock screen with a variety of alerts and updates that help you see what's happening with just a brief glance. You won't need to unlock your phone again and again, and you won't be drawn into checking multiple apps each time you pick it up.

On Google Pixel Phones, most Android models now offer an always-on display feature. To customize what appears on the lock screen, head to Settings, then choose Display and touch, and find the Always-on display option: Tap this to toggle the feature on or off. Also on the Display and touch menu, you can tap Lock screen to configure what shows up on the display when your phone is locked. The main option to be aware of here is Notifications on lock screen: Tap this to choose how notifications appear onscreen (in full or as snippets) and to determine which kinds of alerts show up.

On a Samsung Galaxy phone, you can get to the relevant options by opening the main Settings screen, then choosing Lock screen and AOD (always-on display). First make sure the Always On Display toggle switch is turned on. Then tap Now bar. This lock screen widget displays information like sports scores and fitness stats. To control the notifications you see here, go back to the Settings page, choose Notifications > Lock screen. Enable Show notifications, then pick the style of alerts you want: Cards is the best one if you want to get as much info on the lock screen as possible.

For iPhones, enable Always On Display from Settings by tapping Display & Brightness > Always On Display. As well as making sure the Always On Display toggle switch is turned on, also enable Show Notifications so that information from your apps comes through to the lock screen. The notifications themselves can be managed from the Notifications entry in Settings. There are three notification layouts to pick from, and List is the best if you want to get as much info up on the lock screen as possible.