Do you indulge in too much screen time only to feel guilty afterward? We spend abundant time on our phones, which significantly impacts society. Reduce your screen time today. You’ll see the difference and experience it.
We all get sucked into doom-scrolling (or brain rot, as I like to call it). I’ve been a phone junkie lately, and it needs to stop. When I was bored, I watched TikTok. When I was eating, I watched YouTube. When I woke up, I scrolled through Facebook.
However, that is about to change with these 9 simple tips to reduce your screen time. Let’s dive in.
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What are the side effects of high screen time?
- You’re missing out on life and experiences.
- It lowers your mental health.
- Your self-image and confidence get crushed due to comparing yourself with the highlight reels (and fake Facetune pictures) of others.
- It puts pressure on your relationships.
- Your sleep gets affected negatively.
- It lowers your physical health with an increased risk of obesity, eye strain, headaches, etc.
- Your social competence is affected.
- And the list goes on.
The benefit of reducing your screen time outweighs the drawbacks, clearly.
9 Tips To Reduce Your Screen Time
1. Turn off push notifications.
Avoid opportunities for temptation.
Once you read a notification, you will naturally get curious and open it. Switch off notifications on your phone and smartwatch that entice you to click on them. These will primarily include social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
Platforms for messaging, like WhatsApp, won’t do any harm. For instance, my husband and I aren’t on the same continent due to work. Hence, we need to keep our communication platforms open.
2. Move your apps around.
Have you noticed that you open social apps without even thinking about it? Your brain works on auto-pilot i.e. muscle memory.
A good method to reduce your screen time is to fool your brain. Move your apps on your phone to ‘forget’ their usual spot. Whenever you’re on auto-pilot and navigate to the app you will have a couple of seconds extra to register and decide against brain rotting.
3. Create a reward system.
Reward systems are a great tool that can help motivate you in different situations. It is when you reward yourself if you’ve accomplished a given task.
For example, you can watch a YouTube video or two if you reduce your screen time by __ hours. Or you can reward yourself with a snack.
4. Replace your screen time with something more productive.
What could you’ve accomplished by now if you’ve replaced your cumulative screen time with something productive? Scary thought.
There are many different things you can do instead of scrolling. Be selective with your replacement and keep it productive/healthy. To name a few:
- Read a book
- Listen to a podcast
- Start a new hobby (here are a list of 40+ hobby ideas)
- Exercise or stretch
- Go outside
- Spend time with family
- Have a self-care day with a pamper kit
5. Use apps to assist you
Technology is not all that evil.
There are specific apps that help you reduce your screen time. Such as:
- Forest
- Flipd
- Space
I am starting an experiment for the next couple of weeks. It will entail testing screen time apps until I find the best ones. Once I’ve finished my little Einstein moment, I will post the link here. Comment your favorite apps down below for me to try!
6. Identify no phone zones
Some spaces should be no phone zones. These places will assist you in your journey. Stick to your zones and practice the self-discipline that is needed.
No phone zones will be different for everyone. Here are a few:
- Dining table
- At a restaurant (my pet peeve is whenever someone uses their phones while dining together!)
- Bedroom (I am guilty of this one)
- Outside
My favorite posts:
7. Track your screen time
I get a notification on my average weekly screen time every Sunday, and it makes me feel cr*ppy.
That notification is the reason I’m writing this post. For months I tried to justify it saying, “I don’t watch television so it’s fine.” It’s not fine.
Don’t underestimate the power of seeing your average screen time. You can see it on your phone without downloading any extra apps.
8. Do a digital declutter
A digital declutter is when you delete or remove anything unnecessary from your phone. This ranges from things on your phone like apps, photos, emails, etc. Or unfollowing people that have a negative effect on you from your social platforms.
Although this might not be the best way to reduce screen time, it’s a great habit you can incorporate into your life quarterly.
9. Remove screen time from your morning routine
I find this one to be the hardest. I love a little social scroll while drinking my morning coffee. However, I cannot dismiss the drawback.
To start, select screen-free days in the week and work your way up to every day.
Another method is to create a checklist for yourself. You’re allowed to use your phone once you’ve ticked everything off. For example:
- Have coffee
- Make bed
- Brush teeth
- Get dressed
- Journal
- Quiet time with God
And then you can go on your phone.
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Conclusion
Reduce your screen time and live this one life you’ve been given, offline.
I’ve given you nine simple tips but it’s up to you to actively reduce your screen time. I have. Let’s not let life pass us by.
Share your favorite tips and apps to reduce your screen time down below! I would love to test them.
Have a blessed day wherever you are in the world!
Love, Steph ♥
