We’re not all phone-hating people. Just can’t stop thinking about them! The trouble begins when the “it” gap between “I use it” and “it uses me” exists. Developing good tech habits isn’t about putting your phone in a lake or going to a cabin in the woods. It is about reclaiming a certain amount of control a little at a time. Here are ways to do so without turning your life upside down.
Why Screen Time Adds Up So Quietly
Numbers make it real: The average internet user is spending over six and a half hours online each day, according to DataReportal. Gallup says teens in the United States spend nearly 5 hours a day on social media and Pew Research says nearly half of American teens are online almost every day. Gloria Mark, a researcher at UC Irvine, has been researching people’s work on screens and her research indicates we focus on the screen for about 47 seconds at a time.
All of this does not mean that technology is the bad guy. Phones link us, pay our bills and direct us home. The truth is that the unlocking, the swiping, the “just one more video” that takes up an entire evening, that’s the real problem. Awareness comes first.
Don’t Forget About Privacy While Using Technology
Healthy habits aren’t only about time. They’re about safety too. Every app you open leaves a trail, and every public network you join is a small gamble. Tools like VeePN encrypt your connection and hide your IP address, with a server network that includes locations such as Malaysia. That matters most on café Wi-Fi, in airports and in hotels, where strangers share the same signal. Pair VeePN with strong passwords, two-factor login and a quick look at app permissions every few months. Peace of mind is part of a good relationship with your devices.
Run a Quick Digital Audit
First determine where your time really goes, before you make any changes. Find the top three apps in the screen time report on your phone. Be honest. Then ask yourself a handful of very basic questions:
- Do I open this app on purpose, or out of habit?
- How do I feel after fifteen minutes of it?
- Would I miss it if it vanished tomorrow?
Two of three fails and it’s up for chopping at the chopping block. At least a smaller size icon on your home screen.
Build Phone Habits That Actually Stick
The power of self-control is weak. Design overrules discipline, most of the time. Change these phone behaviors for one week:
- Keep a cell phone outside the bedroom and get a budget alarm clock.
- Avoid screens during the first half hour after waking up.
- Avoid eating while on a phone call, even for lunch.
- Place social apps in a folder on the end page of your home screen.
Turn to the grayscale screen mode at night. Bright colours are bait — remove the bait.
Tame the Notifications
You get a call on your cell phone, you look. Pavlov’s would be proud. Most people receive a dozen or more notifications each day and only a few are truly critical. If it’s not from a real person or real emergency, turn it off. Bank notifications, family messages and calendar reminders remain. Shopping offers, game nudges and “someone liked your photo” can go.
Next, configure check-in windows. Most people can handle checking their email and social media three times a day. All else can be put on hold. A like that is left unread, does not mean anything terrible will happen.
Give Your Eyes and Body a Break
Your mind is strained, but so are the screens. Every 20 mins, spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 ft away is the 20-20-20 rule recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It may seem like a joke, but it is not.
Getting up once an hour is a good thing, too. Do some shoulder rolls, neck stretches, and water. There’s nothing kind to sitting for long periods of time and a stroll around the block is better than another cup of coffee for clearing the cobwebs.
Clean Up Your Digital Space
Clutter lives on screens as well. Delete apps you haven’t opened in months, unsubscribe from newsletters you never read and sort that chaotic desktop. Your browser deserves attention too, since most of our work and entertainment happens inside it. Adding a free VPN to Chrome takes about a minute, and it gives you an extra layer of protection while you browse, stream or shop. After that, close old tabs, tidy your bookmarks and pick a clean start page. Fewer distractions mean fewer temptations.
Replace, Don’t Just Remove
A hole is created when leaves are cut. When you remove everything, there’s always something worse to infiltrate, or the same app returns every night at 11 p.m. So, find a new occupation for your spare time. Call a friend. Walk without headphones. Read 10 pages of a paper book. Prepare something that takes a long, slow cook time and will be somewhat messy.
Technology should serve your life, not run it.
There’s a trick that you might want to try. If you need to use the telephone for the purpose of entertainment, count to ten before picking it up. Often the urge just fades away.
Keep It Realistic and Review Often
Perfection isn’t the goal. You will slip. You’ll watch a whole series on a rainy Sunday, okay? Review the report of screen time every week for 5 minutes and discuss what you think is working and what is not. Adjust. Praise small accomplishments such as a dinner without the phone or a bedtime without the scrolling.
The healthier a relationship for each of us looks like is different. For some it’s less Facebook and Twitter. For some, it is more privacy, more relaxation at night or a better night’s sleep. Begin with one habit this week – the rest will follow.