Neck strains and dry eyes from staring at your screen for too long, we’ve all been there, right? If you’re the type of person who often finds themselves spending more time than they should on their smartphone, this blog is for you.
It’s no question most of us start and end our day by looking at our phones. Whether it’s the impulse to check your social feeds every five minutes, avoid stressful situations or even pass time on the loo, our smartphones sure have a way of keeping our attention.
Below we have listed some tips to help you manage your screen time:
1. Digital well-being for Android users:
If you own an Android and you haven’t heard of this tool, now is the time to start utilizing it. By going into the settings on your phone, you will find a set of features that fall under Digital Well-being. These features were set out by Google to try and make sure everyone has a healthy relationship with technology in 4 primary areas: Unplugging, Productivity, Balance, and Parental Controls. Having these features built into your device helps manage your screen time with ease. Digital Well-being allows you to view the amount of time you spend on each app, set a timer for apps, set a bedtime mode, work mode and so much more.
2. Screen Time for Apple users:
Much like Digital Well-being, Apple has its own version that works in similar ways, and it’s called Screen Time. This feature can be found within the settings on iOS and was created by Apple to assist their users in helping them manage their screen time on iPhones and iPads. Screen Time allows you to set time limits on your kid’s devices, schedule your device’s phone calls and messages to be limited to allow downtime, set daily limits for specific apps and more.
3. Placing your device in another room when its bedtime:
How often have you been bombarded by texts or phone calls after you’ve just put your head on the pillow and called it a day? Your phone can affect how you sleep, which is why you should put it away in another room. The blue light coming from your screen while lying in bed may be affecting your body’s circadian rhythm by decreasing the amount of melatonin your brain produces at night. This can cause you to develop a bad sleeping habit or even insomnia. According to Dr Frida Rångtell, PhD, sleep educator and scientific advisor at Sleep Cycle, you should spend the last thirty minutes before bed off your phone, allowing your bodies circadian rhythm to adjust. Not only will you fall asleep more naturally, but you’ll also be inclined to get up and turn your alarm off in the morning.
4. No screen time for the first 30 minutes of your day
They say the most important part of your day is the first thirty minutes from when you wake up. During this time, your brain is the most susceptible to taking in new information and setting the tone for how the rest of your day will go.
If you’re waking up and immediately scrolling through your phone, this can hijack your brain’s attention and set the wrong kind of intentions for the day ahead. Upon waking, you should be using this crucial time to plan your day and start it with a clear conscience. You can do this by practising yoga, meditation, self-affirmations or even breathwork. Starting your day with good intentions and a stress-free mind can warrant you from having a negative headspace. If you can win the first 30 minutes of your morning, you can win the entire day.