The constant use of digital devices has led to significant negative effects on our well-being. With nearly every aspect of human interaction now influenced by technology, reducing screen time has become crucial for maintaining mental and physical health. By cutting down on screen exposure, individuals can experience improved focus, better sleep, and a more balanced lifestyle.
A growing proportion of children and adolescents’ leisure time is spent with screens including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and televisions raising concerns about the effect of screen time on well-being among parents, health professionals, and educators (e.g., Kardaras, 2017). These concerns have prompted physician organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to recommend that parents limit children’s daily screen time, with specific time limits for preschool children and a general suggestion of limiting time on screens for older children and adolescents (Radesky and Christakis, 2016). In addition, the World Health Organization recently decided to include gaming disorder in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (WHO, 2018).
Children’s social behaviour dramatically improves when you reduce screen time. You better get working on it now!
Highlights
- •More hours of screen time are associated with lower well-being in ages 2 to 17.
- •High users show less curiosity, self-control, and emotional stability.
- •Twice as many high (vs. low) users of screens had an anxiety or depression diagnosis.
- •Non-users and low users did not differ in well-being.
- •Associations with well-being were larger for adolescents than for children.
The pervasive presence of digital devices in human life has debilitating consequences. Every touchpoint of human interaction is marked by technology. With easy access to myriad entertainment formats, digital devices have reshaped leisure time. However, the constant stream of unending entertainment warps time, and before you know it, the day is over. Kids especially, spend hours on digital gadgets. They are energetic and cannot sit still for long, constantly requiring engagement.
In the pre-digital era, they burned this energy off playing outdoor games with friends. Now, with digital devices easily available at home, they no longer need to step outside to shoo away their boredom. Digital gadgets keep them engaged with a wide array of content. Long hours of screen time have adverse effects on children’s mental wellbeing. A new study from the University of Southern Denmark found a significant correlation between reduced screen time and improved mental health in kids. Behaviour showed rapid improvement within just two weeks of reducing screen time to an average of three hours per week.
Benefits of Reducing Screen Time:
- Preventing obesity and conditions related to excess weight.
Such conditions include Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Children who watch more TV have a greater risk of becoming overweight. - Freeing more time for exercise and play.
You can add physical activity to fill the new gaps in your schedule. - Increasing your amount of sleep.
Children who watch more TV tend to have more difficulty falling or staying asleep. They can feel tired and snack more often to make up for lost hours of sleep. - Reducing mindless snacking which can lead to weight gain.
Snacking or eating meals in front of the TV can lead to mindless eating, which can result in consuming larger portions. Eliminating distractions allows you to pay more attention to your body and its signals when you’re full.
Curate your social media feeds.
I discovered that social media became much more enjoyable once I understood it’s perfectly fine to unfollow or mute accounts that leave me feeling irritated, stressed, or indifferent. There’s no need to worry about hurting anyone’s feelings—Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter don’t notify people when you unfollow or mute them. Curate your feed to include only the accounts that share content you truly enjoy or find valuable.
Turn off or limit notifications on your phone.
Do you really need an alert to tell you that a high school classmate you haven’t seen since graduation liked the photo you posted on Facebook of the sunset? Keep notifications for reminders you need, like meetings and birthdays, and you’ll be less likely to reach for your phone.
Take steps to maintain your focus.
Our focus is pulled in multiple directions during the day and the options available on our devices can make us more distracted. Watching TV while also scrolling on your phone or tablet or clicking around on your computer means your attention is divided. Ask yourself, is that time well spent? Consider one screen at a time, one activity at a time. When you go to your computer or reach for your device, it’s good to have a clear idea of what you’re doing. If what you want to do is to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea to check social media for an hour because that will make you feel good, go for it. If your intent is to look up a recipe and then you see an intriguing headline or something else that piques your interest, resist clicking — and clicking again and again. If you’re time-pressed, make a note about what caught your interest and save it for later (use old-fashioned paper and pen, or pin it to a “save it for later” Pinterest board, use a notes app, or email it to yourself to read later).
Also read: Oxygen Indoor Plants: 7 Plants That Save Our Life
Resist screen time when you’re bored, distracted, or stressed.
Have you lost interest in a TV show you’re watching then picked up your phone or tablet to check your email? Have you hit a wall while working on a work project and given yourself a break by clicking around the web? Can’t stop thinking about something upsetting and search for solace on social media? Ask yourself if screen time is what you need to actually make you feel engaged or better in that moment. If the answer is no or you’re uncertain, consider screen-less ways of taking a break. If you’re like me, you’d be better served by taking a walk around the block, listening to music, or practicing a grounding meditation.
Don’t use electronic devices during meals.
In your family, you can make a rule that no devices are allowed at the table. Live alone? The same rule applies. Put it in quiet mode to resist temptation. Also apply this rule to eating in front of your computer during lunchtime. Try to schedule your day so that you can reserve time to eat without distraction.
Pick a daily time to tune in and out.
When you designate times that are screen-free, it can feel like you have more free time for the activities you miss during busy days. I like to set my mobile phone to “do not disturb” mode from 9 pm to 8 am. Blue light given off by electronic devices can disturb sleep, so I try to stop using them 1-2 hours before bedtime, or I use them only to listen to podcasts, audio books, or music. (I also use the “night shift” setting on my phone and computer to cut down on blue light.)
Consider alternatives to screen time.
If you complain about how there’s not enough time in your day to exercise, connect with friends and family, break for meals, or relax, think about how much time you’re actually spending online. Next time you reach out to lazily consume an endless stream of photos that blur together, pause and change course. Call a loved one, dance to a favorite song, or choose to spend time on one of the self-care activities that make you feel good. Reducing your screen time can be easier if you find satisfaction with other, more fulfilling activities. The more you reduce or consolidate your daily screen time, the more time you will have for those activities (and people!) you feel you’re missing. Even five minutes can make a big difference.
