As innovative technology comes out every year, it becomes more part of our daily life. Technology may benefit us a lot, but as much as it can help us, it can also have a negative impact. It affects our social life, physical health, and mental health. If you feel that your screen time is getting too out of hand day by day, you are not alone.
Having to fix your everyday schedule is difficult, that is why removing a bad habit that is a part of your daily basis is not easy. Teens, adults, and even kids have a high screen time; this is not necessarily an accomplishment you should be proud of. High screen time may affect your sleeping schedule, brain fog, anxiety, and depression. It may just cause you to miss valuable moments you cannot have back.
“I definitely could've done something else like walk around town instead of being on my phone or go try something new; but, then again, a lot of people just spend their time on their phone so for me I have to like hangout with someone to make it memorable,” said Jackson Feeney (11).
An effective way to start distancing yourself from technology is by realizing how much it is affecting your life. Take time to check your screen time on your phone settings. This helps you figure out how many hours of your day you really have wasted scrolling on your phone. To fix a daily bad habit like this, you must be willing to make a change and take great accountability. You must be able to set clear boundaries, keeping in mind how much valuable time you have spent on your phone. Having self-discipline is the key to success, putting important tasks first before spending time on your phone. You must simply be willing to do something else besides being on your phone.
Establishing a schedule for your day is a helpful task for reducing screen time, creating slots for other activities that do not include technology. A planner or simply setting reminders to get off on your phone to do something else can be helpful. You must be open to wanting to do new activities, just going on a walk, visiting family, making plans with friends. It does not have to be something complex, just anything to get your mind focused on something else. Prioritizing any physical activity can help you want to spend less time on your phone, it may help with any temptation you may have while trying to cut down on screen time.
"I always try my best to limit myself on how much time I spend on my phone. It gets difficult sometimes, but I often spend time with my younger siblings to also get them to spend less time on any technology since I see younger kids are starting to just want to watch tv shows or play videos games,” explained Xiodali Solis (10).
Another way to limit yourself is to have restrictions like limiting certain areas your phone is not allowed, for example an hour before, during meals, during class, anytime around friends, etc. When you’re around others, it is a sign of respect, they are willing to spend their time with you, you should not have your nose in your phone.
Along with this, letting others know your goal can influence them to join you or help support you in achieving your goal. Friends often tend to also send a lot of messages throughout the day, sharing a funny video or just a text.