How to Reduce Screen Time in 2021

You could be spending more time looking at a screen than you think.

14:20 11 March 2021

We spend more time online now than ever before, whether we’re connecting with friends on social media, watching television or working a full time job, there’s rarely a time when we’re not looking at a screen of some description. 

 

With all the technology that’s available to us during these modern times, it’s become even harder not to be a slave to the screen, but it’s got to a point where people are actively encouraging others to put down phones, close laptops and switch off televisions in a bid to stop the rapidly growing problem.

 

There’s rarely an everyday task that doesn’t require us to be sat in front of a screen and push buttons. You can now pay bills and set up insurance quotes via the Internet and there’s no longer a need for you to go into your bank to set up payments, as this too can be done online.

 

Even work meetings, school classes and university lectures are being done virtually due to the pandemic, and these new methods of communication look set to stay, with many dubbing it as more convenient and productive than being physically present at these events. It’s also been claimed that these online methods are better for the environment, as we aren’t all jumping into cars, getting on buses or boarding trains to get to that all-important meeting.

 

However, where there are a few positives to our increased screen usage over recent months, it can be more detrimental to your health than you might have initially thought. Excessive screen time has been linked to feelings of loneliness and low levels of overall happiness. It also negatively impacts our ability to sleep, which in turn increases our chances of becoming obese, but sitting down and looking at a screen all day can also lead to unwanted weight gain. In children, it can even lead to underperformance at school and it can also affect their ability to remember information for both the long and the short term.

 

With the aforementioned in mind, here are five ways to minimise your screen time that you might not have given a second thought to. These tips can help not only yourself, but your family as well, so you can all cut down on your screen time together.

 

Set yourself a limit and add some boundaries

 

There’s an option, on an iPhone, for it to give you weekly screen time reports. This way, you’ll be able to find out what your daily phone usage is, on average, over the course of a week. This can be a great way to know whether you’re spending excessive amounts of time on your phone alone.

 

It’s important to remember that, where you may be spending four hours a day on your smart device, you could be spending the same amount of time on your laptop, browsing online or updating social media accounts. 

 

You could also be spending many more hours sat in front of the television and binge watching your favourite programme. Screen time doesn’t just apply to our mobile phones, so we must be mindful of how much time we’re spending looking at other screens in and around the home.

 

If you’ve come to the realisation that you need to spend less time online or less time watching the TV, then you must start setting yourself some limits and boundaries. Only give yourself a set number of hours a day when it comes to looking at a screen. 

 

Perhaps allocate yourself one or two episodes of your favourite show instead of four or five, for example. Here are some other ways you can set limits on your screen time:

 

• Don’t look at a screen before going to bed
  
  
• Limit phone usage at social events, such as family get togethers
  
  
• Don’t look at your phone at the dinner table, use that time to talk to others
  
  
• Once you finish work for the day, power off all electronic equipment and do something that doesn’t involve looking at a screen. Go for a long walk, read a book or do some baking
  
  
• Establish a healthy, productive routine and fit screen time around your “no screen” activities
  
  
• Go to bed early
  
  

Ensure sleep is a priority

 

Sleep does wonders for both your mental and physical health and so it’s important that it’s put above everything else, especially screen time. According to Bupa, there are many benefits involved in getting a good, restful night’s sleep, including:

 

• Improved attention span
  
  
• Higher levels of concentration
  
  
• Finding it easier to learn new skills
  
  
• Improvement of long and short term memory storage
  
  
• Maintaining a health weight becomes easier
  
  
• Keeping your heart healthy
  
  
• The strengthening of your immune system
  
  
• Improvement in emotional wellbeing and mental health
  
  
• A reduction in overall stress levels

 

Due to the number of health benefits associated with getting the right amount of sleep, it’s never been more important to consider the negative effects screen use may be having on both our sleep quality and quantity, and it’s all down to the blue light that many screens emit.

 

A report from SCL Health states that the blue light that comes from these devices significantly lowers the production of melatonin (a hormone that controls our sleep-wake cycle), therefore making it more difficult to fall asleep at night and wake up the next morning. It’s also been linked, in some extreme cases, to irreversible retina damage.

 

To avoid this, you should refrain from looking at a screen at least an hour before you go to bed. You should also wait an hour or so before using a screen the next morning as this will allow your eyes to adjust to natural daylight before being exposed to harsh, blue light emitted by your electronic devices.

 

Create zones that are ‘electronic-free’

 

If you think your mobile phone usage in particular is out of control, then look at creating zones within your home where the use of a screen is prohibited. For example, rooms where you could ban the use of mobile phones could include:

 

• The dining room - you can use this time to chat with your family, but it also stops distractions whilst you dig into your dinner, which could prevent overeating
  
  

• The bedroom - you need to get enough, quality sleep
  
  

• The bathroom - not only could it be dangerous to introduce electronics to the bathroom, it’s also where you spend time relaxing

 

If you have children, this could be the perfect way to set limits on electronic devices from an early age, ingraining it into their brains. This will set them up well for a life in a digital age, ensuring that they don’t become slaves to the screen when they’re older.

 

Take part in digital detoxes

 

A digital detox is where you refrain from using mobile phones, computers or just social media for a set period of time.There are some official days that are specifically for digital detoxing, but you don’t need to wait for one of those to come around to be able to give it a try yourself.

 

You can take anywhere between a day and a few weeks away from your mobile or social media accounts, it’s completely up to the individual, which is the good thing about having a digital detox.

Many people use their digital detox day to spend time with their family and friends. You could even use it to catch up on some odd jobs around the home or simply take some time out for yourself to recharge. It’s also a good opportunity to get active - try walking, running or cycling to get the heart pumping!

 

Engage in other activities that don’t involve a screen

 

There are loads of things you can do to either help distract you from the screen or to replace your screen time with. Instead of spending hours looking at a screen, whether that be a phone, a computer or a television, including:

 

• Read a book
  
  
• Play a board game
  
  
• Go for a walk
  
  
• Take the kids to the park
  
  
• Go cycling
  
  
• Organise a messy drawer or cupboard in your home
  
  
• Do some baking
  
  
• Try cooking a new dish
  
  
• Learn a new skill e.g. knitting or painting
  
  
• Complete a jigsaw puzzle
  
  
• Do some gardening
  
  
• Take a bubble bath
  
  
• Start a diary or keep a journal
  
  
• Look through some old, developed photographs
  
  
• Have a picnic

 

Not only will the aforementioned activities give you a break from the screen, they’ll also help to keep both your body and your mind active. Whether you decide to take up running or want to paint your own masterpiece, you’ll have the time to give it a try when you take a break from your electronic devices.

This article was written by Lorna Ball on behalf of NoWagering.com – an online gambling news and comparison website which promotes fairness and transparency, and takes safe and responsible gambling seriously.