There is no denying that technology has improved our lives and the way we function exponentially. It has helped us become more productive by automating repetitive tasks. Technology has brought at our disposal an endless amount of information which can be accessed anytime and from anywhere. And all this has certainly improved the way we communicate and collaborate with each other.
Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd, a leading health and emergency services providing organisation, points out that while the above statements about technology stands true, it would not be false to say that technology with all its advantages, is distracting and hampers the process of creative thinking. Smartphones, social media channels, gaming channels, OTT platforms etc have enslaved us and technology has become an addiction. And like all other addictions, this addiction is also not good for the physical and mental health of ourselves.
Ziqitza remarks that on an average we spend about 10 hours a day on screen time. We can clearly blame it on our lifestyle and the nature of wherein we are supposed to sit in front of computers or laptops. Ziqitza healthcare further states that, on an average we spend close to 3 to 4 hours on our phones. And in todays’ scenario of remote jobs and work from homes, this time has increased manifold.
There is an increased amount of scientific evidence that points out that too much screen time can cause vision problems, impact our sleep, and encourage a more sedentary lifestyle, and Ziqitza Rajasthan confirms it and further elaborates that too much screen time also leads to anxiety, stress and depression. ZHL Rajasthan lists few creative ways that we all can adopt in daily lives to reduce our screen time.
Measure screen time: First thing first, Ziqitza Limited asserts that in order to reduce screen time, we must first know how much time we are spending on the screen. This can be achieved easily with the help of third party applications available on Google play store. These apps track everything such as, how many times we access our phones, which apps we use the most etc.
Limit screen usage: Now that we know how much time we spend on our phone, how many times we reach for our phones, what kinds of apps we waste time on, we can start setting hard limits for them. We can achieve this in several ways, we can limit the number of unlock, or time spent on particular apps. Most applications that measure screen time also have features that limit the time spent on apps, or block them completely after the set time limit has expired.
Create screen free zones: Ziqitza Limited Rajasthan remarks that our phones, laptops, tablets, etc. have become an extension of ourselves. We carry our phones everywhere, even to the places where they are not needed – bathroom, bedroom etc. Creating screen free zones in our homes helps to reduce unwarranted screen time.
Avoid texting, call instead: There is always a charm in calling someone! Calling is any day better than spending hours texting for information. Calling is easy and has a quick turnaround time and also limits screen time. Ziqitza Healthcare limited suggests that instead of texting relatives and friends frequently, call them instead, maybe schedule a weekly call. This will save a lot of time generally wasted in going back and forth via text, and will also drastically reduce screen time and limit unlocks.
Develop or adopt other habits: We unknowingly grab our phones in case of an empty time. This is typically our addiction to the dopamine rush generated by social media. Reaching out for the phone is a reflex, and we all must unlearn it. In case of empty time, we do other things rather than fiddling through our phone, such as, reading a book, exercise, drawing, playing an instrument, etc.
Bonus Tip
Switching our phones to grayscale: Majority of the phones these days provide the feature to turn the phone’s display grey. This removes all vibrant and beautiful colors from the screen. This technique has proved rather effective, because this makes the phone lose its visual appeal, thus limiting our urge to unlock our phone.
Limiting screen time is not a difficult task, yet the majority of us struggle with it and don’t even realize its adverse effects, until too late. Reducing screen time requires discipline and determination to resist the dopamine rush and urge.