How can we reduce our screen time?
Technology has become an essential part of our lives, whether it’s for work, entertainment or creativity. But there is no doubt that all this screen time has negative impacts on our lives, like trouble sleeping, headaches, laziness, and strain on your eyes. So I have gathered some tips to reduce your screen time, be more productive and stay active!
1. Eat your meals without a screen
I know that it is very tempting to catch up on some Netflix while eating, however, I recommend that you use this time to take a break from being on a screen and give your eyes a much needed rest.
2. Don’t watch tv before bed
There is no doubt that watching tv in bed is very enjoyable but you are better off doing it on the couch. It is harder to press pause on your favourite show when you’re already cosy, tucked up in your bed. It will also make it harder for you to go to sleep.
3. Keep track of your screen time
Most of the time we are completely unaware of how much time we spend on our screens. However, it has become much easier to track it! For iPhone users, just head to the screen time section in our settings and for Android users, the Digital Wellbeing app is pretty similar. From there you can set timers for individual apps to try and cut down. You also get weekly reports with the iPhone screen time tracker which will tell you how much you’ve cut down.
4. Take up new hobbies
Nowadays, when we get bored we turn to social media feeds. But instead of needlessly scrolling through your Instagram feed, try taking up a hobby like baking, knitting or sport. You can even try listening to music whilst doing it which will make it more enjoyable and make time fly bye.
5. Leave your phone out of sight
Out of sight out of mind!
It’s very true, when you are working at your desk, try turning your phone upside down and leave it behind a book or something. That way you won’t see notifications as they come in and will be less likely to drift away from your work. For this to function properly, I would also recommend turning off the vibration and sound of your phone to make sure you don’t get distracted.
6. And finally, don’t bring your smartphone to the bathroom
You only really need to spend a maximum of 10 minutes in the bathroom so you won’t be missing much whilst you’re gone. By leaving your phone on your desk you can easily reduce a bit of your screen time and it’s also a lot more hygienic.
We hope you enjoyed reading this story. It’s also available on my tech blog, The Detechtor.
