If you have children, you know how those cell phones are an extension of their hands 24/7. Seeing kids and teens with their heads bent, shoulders hunched, and eyes glued to their phones is a constant occurrence, through the day and night.
Let’s be honest. Kids aren’t the only ones. We do it, too. Adults can be just as bad when it comes to screen time as kids and teens. So, if you’re thinking about making some changes for a healthier new year, how about cutting down on screen time. As a parent, this idea probably fills you with dread because trying to get kids to put the phone down usually ignites drama. Learning how to reduce screen time doesn’t have to come with stress and arguments. There are simple ways to cut back on the mindless screen time the entire family spends on their phones and other devices.
Negative impact of too much screen time
We’ve all gone down the rabbit hole of TikTok and YouTube videos and endless scrolling through Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. Between school, work, streaming shows, and social media, and let’s not forget those apps, kids, teens, and adults spend a big chunk of their time on screens.
The effect of all that screen time isn’t good. According to the Mayo Clinic, too much screen time can impact sleep, social skills, and academics, and it can cause behavior problems and lead to obesity. Then there are eyesight problems. Fatigue, irritation, dryness, nearsightedness, and focusing flexibility are all eye issues associated with excessive screen time, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Adults are just as likely as kids and teens to fall prey to the perils of too much screen time.
How to reduce screen time
Too much of a good thing is never beneficial and that definitely includes screen time. Social media and other apps are designed to be addictive. Then, there are all those streaming shows that are so inviting to binge-watch. Reducing screen time can be advantageous for the entire family. Small changes in the screen habits of adults and children can make a huge difference. So, if you’re looking to cut back on the time spent on devices, here are simple suggestions for the whole family.
Track screen time
Most people don’t have any idea how much screen time they have outside of work and school. The first step in learning how to reduce screen time is seeing how much you are actually on your phone. iPhones actually make it easy to track your screen time. The smartphone tells you in your settings how much screen time you have each day and where you’re spending it. Windows also has a way to allow users to check their computer usage. Seeing how much time you spend on your phone can really be an eye-opener.
Be a role model
The best way to encourage kids and teens to reduce their screen time is for you to do it, too. When they see you not cutting back on the amount of time you spend on your phone, you’ve lost them. Instead, be a positive role model and put down your phone, too.
No device meals
Mindless scrolling leads to mindless eating. Encourage the family to be present during mealtimes by making the kitchen and dining room tables no-phone zones. Meals should be a time for the family to interact with each other. Having no phones during breakfast may also cut down on those tardies. Involve kids in food prep and cleanup. This is a great time to teach those all-important life skills.
Leave phones outside the bedroom at night
Many people take their phones into the bedroom. This is one of the major reasons smartphones disrupt sleep patterns. The blue light emitted from your phone messes with melatonin and makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Instead of bringing your cell phone to the bedroom at night, start the bedtime routine by leaving the phone on the kitchen counter. If you or the kids rely on the phone as an alarm, get a clock.
Turn off notifications
To help make the phone less of a distraction during meals or during the nighttime routine, turn off the notifications. When you’re not hearing those alerts that there’s a new like on Instagram or a friend just snapped, you’re less inclined to go look at it.
Don’t poop with your phone
OK, this sounds super gross, but most of us take our phones into the bathroom when it’s time to go number two. Doing so encourages you to stay longer on the toilet than necessary. Many doctors warn that sitting on the toilet for more than 10 minutes isn’t great for the body. For one thing, it creates an environment ripe for hemorrhoids. Then, there are those dropped phones in the toilet. Try leaving the phone outside of the bathroom. Those emails definitely can wait.
Put family time on the schedule
The best thing about spending less time on your devices is that you have more time to do other things. Family game nights, movie nights, walking the dog, reading, crafts, and other hobbies are all fun things you and your family can do together. Putting family time on the schedule is an easy way to encourage everyone to put down their phones.
Closing thoughts
Making small changes is an easy way to break habits. Think of all that excessive screen time as a bad habit you want to break. Everyone is guilty of it. We all dive headfirst into that online rabbit hole. Too much screen time can negatively impact your life and the lives of your kids. Learning how to reduce screen time isn’t as difficult as you think. It starts with making little changes.
We’ve mapped out simple tweaks the whole family can make in their phone habits that will cut down on screen time. Remember, between work and school, most of us are already spending a big chunk of the day on the computer. You don’t need to overload that with mindless time spent scrolling through social media and playing games on apps.
