The coronavirus that has taken over 2020, has put people around the globe in quarantine, confined in their homes. This has resulted in an increased screen time, which is naturally not a healthy habit to have. Let’s talk about how you can reduce your screen time in quarantine, which seems like its never-ending.
I was quite taken aback when I checked the time I spend on my phone all day.
I use Poco F1, there’s a Digital Wellbeing feature that shows the number of hours spend on the device and which apps were used the most.
There must be a feature in yours too.
According to researchers, increased screen time can result in low levels of happiness and the feeling of loneliness. A huge increase can also make you feel stressed and anxious.
Social media plays an important role in this, obviously.
Who feels good seeing pictures of Influencers having the perfect life and luxury? Subconsciously, it affects you negatively.
Scrolling through the memes and viral reels on Instagram is a cycle that goes on and on. Here are some ways in which you can use reduce your screen time and have a happier, healthier lifestyle.
Table Of Contents
How to reduce your screen time starting today
Starting with the toughest: Have a schedule
Schedules are hard. I don’t even have one yet. I’m trying to make and follow one, that’s all we can do right?
Big changes take time. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many changes at once.
“Schedules help ground us, and a daily routine gives us an anchor; it allows us to feel like we have a sense of control in a situation when we feel out of control,” says Annie Miller, MSW, LCSW-C, LICSW, a practicing psychotherapist.
The easiest advice to give is, stop with all the binge-watching. Watch 1-2 episodes a day or one movie only. Have a fixed time on which you log in to your Netflix or Prime account.
Work from home is taking a toll on everybody, irrespective of their field of profession. I have a teacher in my family, and the work literally goes on 24×7. Hats off to all the teachers out there who are taking a step forward and getting themselves acquainted with the new ‘online classes’ environment.
If your workplace leaves you alone after 6pm, you’re the lucky one.
After that time, do not think about work. Don’t check your emails. Have some quality me-time reading a book, painting, or whatever it is that makes you feel relaxed.
Also Read: 10 Self Help Books That Will Increase Your Productivity
Phone-free Zones
The quarantine can make you use your smartphone in uncommon places.
Like the washroom.
Have strict a phone-free zone while you’re having dinner, going for a bath, or to the loo. Time can fly at the speed of light with your phone in the washroom, believe me.
Go back to the good old days and read the contents of your shampoo or count the number of tiles to pass the time.
Also, if you have to watch a movie, try to watch it on the TV if it is a smart TV or if you have the Amazon FireStick (or any similar device) rather than on the phone. Absolutely don’t watch TV in bed. Don’t keep it turned on just to fill the silence.
Phone makes you too comfortable.
Also Read: Marine Life Can Help Us in Monitoring Our Ocean’s Health
No phones 30 minutes before bedtime
Using smartphones or watching any screen before bedtime can result in poor sleep. Yes, I’m talking about you and the times when you’re peeking in your bright phone screen in the dark at night.
Though 1 hour would be the best, even 30 minutes can yield results. Get rid of everything digital and electronic 30-minutes before your bedtime.
Read a book instead, de-clutter your desk, make your bed, anything that doesn’t involve a screen. Reducing the screen time before bed increases the natural levels of melatonin.
Melatonin has been scientifically proven to enhance both innate and cellular immunity.
Keep the chargers in a different room
Try not to keep your phone or laptop’s charger in your bedroom. Keep them in a different room so that whenever you have to charge them, you have to physically get up and go to another room to leave them to charge.
Let them charge, don’t use them while they’re on charging.
Find something else to do, water your plants?
If you don’t have one, ponder over the thought and buy some. Or grow your own veggies at home. It is a great new hobby to start and gives you food in the end!
Check out this YouTube Channel, it got me hooked and willing to start taking care of my plants.
Buy an actual alarm clock
Having your phone in the bedroom just because it has the alarm that wakes you up in the morning is just another excuse to keep the phone close to you.
Put your phone in another room when you go to sleep.
Invest in an actual alarm clock to wake you up in the morning instead of a phone. Try to not check your phone the first thing in the morning.
Freshen up, have breakfast and then get to it.
Set time limits on apps
Most phones have the feature that let you set a time limit on the usage of different apps.
Set a reminder for whenever you’ve been using an app for too long.
Instagram has an in-app feature to do this. Simply go to the ‘Your Activity’ option that is displayed when you click on the three horizontal lines on the top-right of your profile page.
Set daily reminder that would go off when you’ve spent 2 hours on the app. If you want to go the extra mile, reduce the number of notifications you receive too.
These small reminders throughout the week will help you become aware of your screen-time usage and help you take steps to reduce that time.
Also Read: Home Decor Items Under Rs.1000 To Transform Your Home
Another hard one: Exercise
Not a shocker, is it?
Check this video out! I’ve been doing it for quite a few weeks. It is easy to do and makes you feel more active instantly.
I’m not going to boast about how I exercise regularly because I don’t. Exercising is a great daily habit to have and I’m still in the process of building.
If you’re like me, then hop on to the train and let’s try exercising from today?
I’ve curated different exercises in a Pinterest board, focusing on belly fat, flappy arms, back fat and thick thighs, see it here.
After seeing many videos, I made my own set that I do whenever I exercise:
- Crunches – 30 x 2 (lower belly)
- Bicycle crunches – 60 (abs)
- Plank dips – 25 x 2 (abs)
- Plank cross – 25 (abs)
- Leg raises – 15 (belly)
- Heel taps – 40 (belly)
- Russian twists – 60 (love handles)
- Froggers – 30 (inner thighs)
- Sideway scissors – 25 (thighs)
The Ultimate HERO move, uninstall apps
This step is not for the weak-hearted ones.
It needs dedication level 100.
Those Facebook notifications that make you check your phone again and again are a drug. Either discontinue getting notifications or uninstall the app altogether.
Honestly, how would your life be bothered if you don’t know which of your random friend tagged you in a photo with 10 others? You can check your Facebook when you’re on the laptop.
I found myself getting stuck on Twitter. There’s just so much happening around the world and Twitter is probably the place where news spread the fastest. Or sometimes, fake news.
I used to feel like I’ll be left behind if I don’t keep reading everything that is trending in news, COVID-19 etc. But that is not practical.
It has the power to sadden you.
Reduce your ‘information intake’ along with the screen time.
Also Read: How To Practice Minimalism in your Home
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