I literally, cannot stop using my phone. I am trying to hard to not to be on it constantly but it has gotten SO HARD.
Please understand, that having high screentime doesn’t make you a bad person. But it also cannot be healthy to use our phones as much as many of us do.
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The Obstacles
I feel like everyone has different obstacles that keep their screentime pretty high. I think that keeping these things in mind can help find solutions (which I’ll get to next).
Work
I have a job the has me on social media for various tasks throughout the day occasionally so that obviously contributes to my higher screentime. Sometimes I need the phone version of the app over the web version!
Too Much Downtime
All my downtime is pretty much in my house lately. So it’s easy to just hop on social media or play a game when I have some time to myself versus doing something that’s not digital.
Love of Content
I got addicted to TikTok during the pandemic, and that’s added to my Twitter problem. This love of content has my face in my phone all day which sounds simple to stop but it’s really not.
Some Solutions
Fidget Toys
Playing with fidget toys helps me do something with my hands. This One is one of my favorites, but you also can’t go wrong with a classic fidget spinner.
More Physical Books
I’ve mentioned before that I love audiobooks, but those allow me to scroll or play on my phone while a physical book will have my hands and mind occupied, especially if it’s a good read.
Screen Free Days
I used to do these at the beginning of the year, and I kind of miss them, just think I was doing them too frequently and it felt like a punishment and not a way to unwind and disconnect. If you choose to go without tech for a period of time please make sure you’re going in with the right mindset and intentions or they won’t be as impactful as they could be!
Finding Screenless Hobbies
Maybe you can take up knitting, or trying recipes out of a physical cookbook (or print them out ahead of time, I’ve done this before too!) Mine is definitely reading a good book or doing a couple of coloring pages! But trying a new recipe is always fun for me too.
Focus Mode
Focus mode on iPhone is a lifesaver. Fewer notifications mean you’ll pick your phone up more. I also use the Downtime feature as well for bedtime to get me off my phone at night. Let me know if you’d like to read more about how I use my phone for productivity in the comments.
Do you struggle with spending too much time on your phone, tablet, or laptop? Let me know in the comments and if you have any ideas of how to get your own screentime down!
