How to Reduce Screen Time

Screens have become such an integral part of our daily life, and while there are many good things about screens by now, we are pretty much all aware that we should limit the amount of screen time we have. If you own an iPhone, it likely gives you a weekly update on the amount of time you spend looking at your screen, and you can even check how many times you pick your phone up and what you spend your time doing on it.

If a company like Apple has decided to help us understand how much time we spend using their products, it’s probably time to consider cutting back on our screen time. With that in mind, we have collated a few strategies to help you reduce your screen time.

Track your screen time and set limits

We’ve already mentioned the abilities of the iPhone to track your screen time, and this feature is also available on android and a range of other devices. If you keep track of your screen time each day and week, play a game with yourself or your family and try to reduce each day and/or week. It’s also possible to set limits on apps, which is a great way to remind you that you’ve spent too long on Instagram. Just try not to ignore the limit.

Focus on family

Make sure phones are away from the dinner table during meal times and resist the temptation to have the telly on in the background. Spending some proper quality time together and talking about the day is a great way to bring you all closer together. You could also go for walks, picnics or play board games together and make it a screen-free zone for a certain amount of time.

Have screen-free bedrooms

Exposure to the blue light of your mobile can severely impact your sleep. Your best option is to avoid looking at your screen an hour before you go to bed and leave it to charge in another room. If you use your phone as an alarm clock, then make sure you put your phone on to charge and get the alarm ready way before you plan to get in bed. Or buy an alarm clock.

Go black and white

The shiny graphics and nice colours displayed on our screens are things that draw us to pick up our phones constantly. However, most smartphones can change the phone to black and white. By doing this, your phone will instantly be less appealing and look a bit boring, which can help reduce the amount of time you spend looking at it.