Monitor and cut down your screen time

Technology gets smarter, cooler and more useful by the day, but between our phones, computers and TVs we tend to spend a lot of time looking at and being distracted by screens.

There’s nothing wrong with that – if the tech life is the life for you – but for some people, it can lead to bad habits.

If you want to be a little more mindful of just how much screen time you’re getting in every day, here are some rules to go by:

1. Keep phones outside the bedroom

If you’ve ever found yourself groggily scrolling through Instagram at 1am, this one’s for you.

Rather than charging it on your nightstand, charge it somewhere where you won’t be tempted to use it all night. You can also switch to an actual alarm clock if you currently use your phone to wake you up, but if you’d still rather use your phone as your alarm, make a modified exception: it should be kept on your nightstand or somewhere out of reach.

You want to avoid using it in bed, so it doesn’t keep you awake or affect your sleep.

2. Go screen-free one hour before bed

Using your phone, your computer or watching a lot of TV right before you go to sleep can sometimes keep you up later than you want to be, so try giving yourself a break by turning off all your screens an hour before you plan to actually go to sleep.

You can use that time to read, get organised for the following day or even just chat or do something fun with your family, partner or roommates.

Read how cutting screen time can slow down ageing: 8 surprising habits that cause ageing faster

3. Put phones away during meals

Whether you live with others and eat together or you live on your own and eat by yourself (but especially if you’re enjoying a meal with others), make it a habit that you don’t have your phone out at meal times.

If you’re with friends or family, this will help you and everyone you’re with to be fully present in the conversation, and if you’re alone, it’ll let you focus on relaxing and actually enjoying your meal.

4. Turn on do not disturb during activities

Whenever you’re doing anything that doesn’t involve your phone, whether you’re working or doing something otherwise productive, or you’re having fun and just enjoying time with others, turn on the ‘do not disturb’ setting.

If feeling your phone buzz or seeing the screen light up is the kind of thing that distracts you because you can’t ignore it, this setting will stop both from happening. This is especially useful if checking one notification just leads you to scrolling through all your apps without intention or purpose.

5. Have designated email times

Does seeing that little red flag alerting you to all the unread emails you have waiting for you stress you out?

Try turning off push notifications for your email (if you can) and giving yourself designated times throughout the day to check and respond to emails, so you’re not constantly being distracted by the notifications and so that it doesn’t keep you from being present with others or productive in the other things you need to get done.

Read the original article and more here. 

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