Cut Your Screen Time NOW

The average screen time for adults in the U.S. is over 7 hours. That is nearly 33% of our day spent on internet-connected devices. Our average weekly media consumption is nearly 60 hours. That's MORE than a full-time job. I think it's about time we cut our screen time...

Why Should You Care?

Excess screen time can have a negative impact on your mental health, your emotional health, your eye health and even your physical health. Too much screen time can have some of the following consequences:

• Eye strain, dry eyes and blurred vision.

• Poor posture.

• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Muscle aches and pain.

• Increased depression, anxiety and feelings of loneliness.

• Addictive and compulsive behaviors (toward phones and other devices).

• Negative impact on memory and attention.

The potential risks and negative consequences of excessive screen time goes far beyond eye strain and issues with vision. As you can see, those effects can bleed over into many areas of your life, so you should care and we can all benefit from reducing our screen time.

Where Should You Start?

Start small and by cutting daily unnecessary habits. Spend a day taking note of each time you pick up your phone. Write down each instance so you can find areas where you can cut that screen time. Some examples of first habits to cut include:

• Stop scrolling while going to the bathroom.

• Picking up your phone while waking up in the morning (instead just shut off your alarm and put your phone back down).

• Avoid opening your phone when you first park your car. Just check for any urgent notifications and then pocket your phone instead of scrolling social media.

I need some more meaningful tips and tricks. What should I do next?

Realistically, the ideas above may only cut your screen time 15-30 minutes per day. So what else can you do? There are some great tools and tricks that can help you make more meaningful cuts to your daily screen time. Here's what I'd suggest next:

• Set App Screen Time Limits. Go to settings on your phone and set app time limits. I recommend starting by cutting about 10-20% of your current usage time. Going too far, too quickly can result in burn-out.

• Enforce a Phone-Use Schedule. Simply put, do not use your phone before a certain time in the morning and do not use your phone after a certain time in the evening. For example, use your phone between the hours of 7am and 9pm.

• Get Outside. Instead of just focusing on cutting screen time, find ways to add screen free time into your daily routine. One way to do this is to create a daily habit of going outside. You could use that time to go for a walk, read a book, take up bird watching, whatever you'll enjoy.

• Set Alerts and Reminders. Set periodic alarms, alerts or reminders on your phone to put it down for 15 minutes, or so. These will act as a reminder to focus your attention elsewhere for a while.

Make sure to pay attention and track your screen time as you start to work on reducing that time. Celebrate the little wins. Even reducing your screen time 5-10% is a big deal because that's a step in the right direction!