Many people nowadays spend so much time online, that without realising, they miss out on many day-to-day activities. A lot of people are used to communicating online rather than the real world which is having a big impact on people’s social life. It is known that people who spend a lot of time on social media experience increased anxiety and decreased self-esteem.
For some people, hours of screen time is unavoidable if they work on computers, but it is important to be at least aware of what and how we spend time online.
If you spend a lot of time in front of a screen, try some of these tips below to reduce this:
Track screen time:
If you feel as though you spend a lot of time online, there are apps available that can monitor your screen time and what it has been spent on. This is important as many people underestimate the amount of time they spend on electronic devices. There are also apps that can block social media or certain sites for a certain amount of time or allow you to go on them for a while before they disable. Making sure you track your time will help create balance during the day and allow you to not miss out on life activities.
Create phone-free spaces:
Having a phone free space can be a great way to ensure that you have designated places and times that devices are not used. For example, this could be not bringing your phone out to a meal, when you meet with friends or even when watching tv with family. The most important one is to try and not go on your phone before you go to sleep, or if you do then put it on aeroplane mode so it does not disturb you.
Switch off notifications:
A simple way to restrict the time you spend online is by turning off your notifications, this is because it is a lot harder to focus and interact with others when your phone is constantly buzzing with notifications. Although it is important to switch them off, once you have finished your activities you could then spend some time on your phone when you have nothing else to do!
Although social media is a fantastic source of social interaction, is great for businesses and keeps family and friends connected (especially in today’s times). It is important that we don’t let it limit our social ability and time spent living in the real world and to look after our own minds and overall mental health.