How to Cut Down on Screen Time
Recently, I’ve been getting the dreaded Screen Time notifications, telling me that my time looking at my phone has increased by a significant margin. I know I’m not alone these last few weeks, and it makes sense—so many of us are sitting at home a lot these days.
Although our phones are beneficial in these disconnected times—right now, it’s often the only way we can see our friends or our families, But honestly, we do a lot of things besides these we play games using too much social media and these are not essential.
The point is, with all the benefits of our phones, there are also drawbacks to staring at them all day.
We suggest some tips to Cut Down on Screen Time
1- Play a board game or a card game.
Board games are a great way to get the whole family together and away from all of your screens. And if you live alone, there’s always a good old-fashioned deck of cards or that puzzle you started last week… And, of course, go outside in your yard if you have one.
2- Set screen-time limits.
This is the easiest way to cut down on your screen time. Apple has a way to set time limits on individual apps, groups of apps, or your whole phone. You can even set dark hours for when you don’t want to use your phone, like when you go to bed and when you first wake up. If you really want to get serious about it, have someone you live with put in the password so you can’t easily get around your own regulations.
3- Delete time-sucking apps.
If you feel like even 30 minutes on a certain app is draining you, just delete it! Deleting time-sucking apps removes temptation, and the clean home screen feels good, too. If you don’t trust your self-control and want an added obstacle, you can set your content restrictions so that you can’t download new apps. You can find your password keeper if you must download something.
4- Read a physical book.
Digital reading is an amazing thing. E-readers are convenient and great for traveling or poolside. But there’s nothing quite like cracking open a physical book, is there? They have a certain smell and feel to them that’s more soothing than a device. And being at home, especially in this uncertain time, why not choose the thing that brings you a sense of comfort? Plus, a book doesn’t come with the ability to pull up an internet browser the second you get distracted by something.
5. Write down your workout plan.
Maybe this one seems odd, but the point here is to think of all of the ways that we rely on our screens and try to work around them. Streaming a workout video on your phone or computer is really helpful when you can’t go to the gym or the studio, but if you’re trying to go on a screen-time fast, there are other options. Like using a notebook to write out your workout plan, or a sheet of paper to print it off. Exercising is a great way to clear your mind, so don’t let a device interrupt that Zen.
