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Easy tips to reduce your screen time

BY READERS DIGEST

10th May 2021 Technology

Easy tips to reduce your screen time
While modern technology helps us increase our efficiency in many different areas, it also does a lot of damage.
Spending too much time in front of a screen can lead to all kinds of problems, including a bad posture and a bad mood. With so many movies, video games, and social media networks, most people forget to limit their screen time.
The way the world works makes it impossible to eliminate screen time, but with some careful planning, you can limit the time you spend in front of a screen. Stay with us, and we’ll give you a few simple tips on how to limit your screen time.

1. Eliminate screen time while you eat

Many people use meal breaks to catch up on social media pages and online news. While that might seem like a good idea, it makes it impossible for you to give your eyes some rest. That’s why you should always avoid looking at a screen while you eat. Focus on the food you’re eating and enjoy it. You’ll have enough time to catch up on the latest news during the day.

2. Limit screen time outside of work

If you work in front of the computer screen for 8 hours every day, you should definitely limit your screen time outside of work. Once you get home, don’t check your emails and don’t run to your computer every 20 minutes to do some extra work.
You should leave your work at work and use the time you have at home to relax. Instead of watching the TV and playing video games, you could read a book or simply go outside to get daily exercise. Too much screen time will increase your overall stress levels.

3. Avoid watching TV in bed

Watching TV before going to sleep is the favorite pastime for many of us, but it’s also very unhealthy. Screen time before bed will make it harder for you to fall asleep. Another problem is that you might find a show you like, so instead of relaxing your eyes, you’ll only put a strain on them even more.
Just forget about watching TV before bed, and you’ll cut your daily screen time by about an hour at least. You’ll also have better sleep quality, which means that you’ll have more energy the next day.

4. Socialise more in real life

Spending half of your day at work often makes it easy to socialize with friends and family members. Many of us want to make up for the lost time by communicating over social media networks. Staying in touch with the people you love is a good thing but spending hours in front of your computer screen or mobile device won’t do you any good. Instead of doing that, you should free up some time for a face-to-face meeting rather than facetime.

5. Time your screen time

Many users find it hard to cut down on screen time because they have to stay active across their social media pages for work or other purposes. However, most of the time they spend interacting with others isn’t that productive at all.
If you’re one of those people that like to use Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all the time, you can set up timers to remind you to step away from your device. Start with longer periods and reduce the timers gradually over time. You will learn to get more things done faster after some time.

6. No phones in the bedroom

Since most of us use our phones during the day, we leave them to recharge while we sleep. That’s ok, but you should avoid charging your phone in the bedroom right next to your bed.
The blue light from screens can have a negative effect on your sleep pattern, even if you’re not looking at the screen. Not to mention the negative effects of using the phone before going to bed. You can leave it in another room to charge overnight, or at least place the charger away from your head.

7. Find something else to do

With so many technologies, people quickly forget about hobbies and other fun activities. Sure, looking at screens all day long is interesting and fun, but it’s not good for you.
Besides, life is much more than just passively looking at a screen, so go outside, do something with friends, or just find a hobby to stay active. If not that, just go outside for a walk around the block, do anything else than looking at screens all day, every day.

Additional tips for Netizens

There are many other issues that online citizens tend to experience. People tend to feel anxious, and some might worry about their data being exploited for nefarious purposes. So, while reducing your screen time is a priority, do not forget to use your devices responsibly. These tips can help:
  • Do not share overly personal details online. In many cases, they might help fraudsters target you with phishing attacks. Being too open has also led to stalking or more severe crimes.
  • Set your social media accounts to private. It is safer to have a limited audience for your posts and pictures.
  • Use strong passwords and never use the same ones for multiple accounts.
  • Install a Virtual Private Network to protect the integrity of the data you share online. This tool will prevent data leaks and will make you more anonymous online.
  • Never give away data to unknown entities. More frequently than not, fraudsters might impersonate reliable services to extort information.
  • Protect your device with reliable antivirus tools. They can deal with various infections and ensure that nothing compromises your experience.

Final words

Even though most of us can’t get bored from looking at screens all day long as there is always something new to watch, you should work to limit your daily screen time. Don’t forget to take care of your body and mind, and you’ll feel much better after a few weeks.
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