Blogging Tips, Life

How to Successfully Reduce Your Screen Time and The Benefits of Doing It

by Olivia

A resolution I had for this year was to be more present in the moment and spend less time on electronic devices. Of course that didn’t happen because of COVID and also restarting my blog again, but I like to make a conscious effort to leave the technology behind every now and again. When I say screen time, I don’t just mean phones. I mean tablets, mobile phones, laptops, tv’s and any other device that has a screen! Today we’ll go through some tips on how to reduce your screen time and be more present in the moment.

SET TIME LIMITS

Setting a time limit may sound like a daunting task for some – me included. Limit how often you check an app such as Facebook, and once the time is over don’t go on it again until your next time slot.

It’s so easy to become consumed by social media, we often forget how to live in our real lives. Sometimes we can even develop a warped view of what life is actually like because of over consumption of social media. We spend hours looking and other people’s lives we forget to live our own. So setting a time limit will still give you that fix we all so desperately need but will allow a great balance between life online and real life in person.

LEAVE IT AT HOME

Just ditch your phone or whatever other device it is. Going for a walk? Leave it at home. Going shopping? Leave it at home. Going to a family’s house? Leave it at home. Of course there are situations where you do need your phone, especially if an emergency situation could happen! Then you want to make sure you have it with you. But if you are just going to the shop really fast, why take it? What difference will it make if it’s with you or not? Ditch the phone.

SWITCH IT OFF

Sounds obvious but for some it’s not. I’m guilty of doing this myself but my phone is rarely off. I don’t even turn it off at night. I actually couldn’t tell you the last time I turned it off. I’m preaching to myself here.

Why do we feel the need to have it on at night? I’m asleep, so why on earth do I need it on. Turning it off can help so much because your sub conscious knows it’s off, which will actually help you sleep better. Some nights I wake up randomly and check my phone because I know it’s on. So turn it off at night and enjoy a better less restless sleep.

DO A DIGITAL DETOX

What is a digital detox Olivia? Well let me explain…

“Digital detox refers to a period of time when a person voluntarily refrains from using digital devices such as smartphones, computers, and social media platforms.“

– Wikipedia

You set yourself a period of time where you put away your devices and don’t pick them up until the timer is up. I’ve watched a few YouTube videos of people who have done this and they have never looked back. They noticed how much happier they were and how much more they got done. It’s amazing to think that technology might actually be hindering us from the things we need to do in life.

THE BENEFITS

There are many benefits of reducing your screen time of course, but these are the main benefits you’ll see if you decide to ditch those screens.

1. Better sleep
2. More productive
3. More active
4.Reduced anxiety & stress
5.Better Focus

WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET AWAY FROM TECHNOLOGY? DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS YOU CAN SHARE?

Olivia x

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39 thoughts on “How to Successfully Reduce Your Screen Time and The Benefits of Doing It”

  3. I’ve been meaning to do this, but every day I just fall back to my damned old habits. I feel less wired on days when I don’t have much screen time, so maybe this post is exactly what I need. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. I Ike this post a lot, Olivia. It is a challenge! However, I am not anywhere near as bad as my other immediate family members 😂

    Generally, if we are watching tv, I ignore my phone. I have, basically, walked away from Facebook on the social side, but I do have a business Facebook page where I provide useful and positive information. I might Twitter every few days.

    One thing I have started doing is charging my phone over dinner, so that automatically keeps me away from it for a good hour, maybe more. I have always had the ringer on silent, except for about once every six months or so, to which you will hear the theme to “I Dream of Jeannie!” when it rings etc 😂🤣😂

    I think improving on the digital detox is a great way to go 😊

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    1. Thanks for sharing this Sean! You’re right, my other family members and friends are much worse than me 😂

      Such a good rule that you have shared there, in charging it over key times like dinner time. I might try that! I also only have my phone on silent, so the same thing happens when I hear my ringtone, I’m like “who’s phone is ringing?!” And it’s mine!

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      1. Lol re the ringtone 😂 One of the funniest things I ever saw several years ago was a couple getting on to the train while busily scanning through their phones. They were so engrossed in what they were doing that they didn’t even realise they had entered different carriages until that uh oh moment and they stuck their heads out the doors gesticulating to each other 🤣🤣🤣

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  8. I like this blog and it is an important topic to talk about so thanks for sharing! One thing I did a month ago was to get an app that basically blocks my social media apps like whatsapp and facebook on my phone from 12am to 8am (i.e. sleeping time). That means that even if I want to check these apps during these times, I can’t. It now has become second nature for me not to check social media when I should be asleep!

    I think also we need to first identity the ways in which we use social media or other screen time badly (e.g. scroll through facebook too long) and then find ways so that we can use it better. Reducing screen time is good, but that should be accompanied by using screen time in a good way when you do use it

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    1. What is that app called? Could you share this with us? I think it would be helpful for a lot of people who suffer with this issue.
      Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

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  10. You have covered such an important topic here. Great tips. I just try to avoid using my phone post 10 in the night. I have also incorporated the habit of blinking my eyes fast after every 20 mins, which help in relieving eyes stress.

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    1. Wow, such a great tip! Thanks for sharing. I have been suffering from eye stress for the past few days, its been twitching and its very annoying lol! Going to try what you said!

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  12. At the beginning of the pandemic I decided to take a break from my phone. So I didn’t go into social media at all for about a month. Then I would limit myself to only checking it once a week. I’m not doing it currently but what I have done for a few years is to not have my social media notifications on, they are all off except for my emails. So, until I go into the app I won’t know if I have notifications.

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    1. I love that! I have some notifications turned off for some apps and it really does help in not checking! You dont have those reminders to check your phone. Thanks for sharing that Heidy 😊

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  13. There’s an actual digital detox day happing on 5th of September, I think. A great post ✨We don’t realise just how much time we spend on our screens.

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