Spend too much time on your phone and want to make a change? Keep reading for some tips to keep your screen time down.
We’ve all been there: picking up your phone to reply to a text, and suddenly hours have flown by on TikTok and the whole day is gone. It gets to the end of the week and you’re dreading the notification informing you how many hours you spent on your phone.
It’s a hard habit to kick. Our phones are a constant source of entertainment and ensure that we never have that FOMO. However, there are a lot of health problems that can occur from excessive screen time. So, now’s a better time than any to get in the habit of keeping your screen time down.
1. Don’t Scroll And Eat
I’ve done it too. I go on my lunch break or sit down with dinner, fork in one hand and phone in the other. Instead, keep all screens away from mealtimes, that includes TV too. Sit at a table (if you have one) with your friends and family and use that time to catch up on all of your days. It sounds like a proper parent thing to say, but sometimes our parents are right. If you’re on your own, replace your phone with a book, or take your lunch to a park bench instead. It’ll be good for your mental health as well as your screen time.
2. Keep Moving
If you’re looking at a screen, most likely, you’re sitting down too. Don’t get me wrong, we all need a rest, but if you’re sitting for hours at a time, then often your posture and joints are affected. I’m lucky in that I have an Apple Watch that reminds me to stand every hour, however, it’s just as easy to set that reminder on your phone. Set hourly reminders to move about, or take it a step further by planning a walk, or other exercises intermittently. That way, you can’t be looking at a screen for too long at a time.
3. Keep Your Phone in Another Room
I’ve suggested this before to help stop procrastinating, and that’s because it’s a really good tip. This time, it’s specifically for when you’re going to sleep. Lots of people I’ve spoken to have said that their screen time was worse just before they went to sleep, scrolling on their phones and dozing with it still in their hands. Not to sound like a mum again, but this isn’t good for your eyes and is actually detrimental to your sleep. By keeping your phone in another room, particularly on a different floor, you won’t be tempted to scroll for hours and hours until, oops – the sun has come up. Buy yourself a separate alarm clock for your bedroom, and take a book or something to bed with you instead. You’ll sleep a lot better and feel refreshed the next day.
