Here is a daunting figure for you: the average teenager in the United States spends approximately 8.5 hours per day in front of a screen. Children aged 8-12 clock around 5.5 hours per day. Most adults (over 80%) report checking their phone within 10 minutes of waking up. The truth is that screens are part of modern life. Even in the 90s, where cable tv was king and above all types of screen time, it was still important to set healthy limits with watching TV. It’s smart, then, to ensure that you are doing a digital audit in every area of life, including with your current cable tv package.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Technology and the internet have made working, communicating, connecting, and finding entertainment more convenient. It’s OK to embrace that. It’s also important to balance engaging with tech versus having your entire life attached to a screen.
When Scrolling Hurts
Young adults today often connect with peers and culture through social media and online games. Adults do the same, although average screen time also increases due to maintaining jobs that require working on laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Some—such as streamers, influencers, and entertainers—make their entire income by being online. But even those who make their living through social media must take proactive steps to balance their time online. Why?
- Teens concerned about their generation’s mental health today point to social media as the primary contributing factor 22% of the time.
- Adults who spend several hours online report higher rates of burnout, distraction, and sleep issues.
Reading this may spark the urge to walk around the house and throw away every device that connects to the internet. But that’s not realistic, nor is it necessary. A few simple changes in daily habits can help reduce the potential side effects of spending too much time online.
Creating Healthier Online Routines
No one says it’s easy to take the first steps to implementing better habits. One starting place is to create firm perimeters between what you do online and what you do in real life.
Try Doing Mornings Without Screens
If you’re in the habit of waking up, grabbing your phone, and immediately checking email inboxes, socials, or non-essential messaging apps, maybe it’s time to set a new boundary. A helpful rule is to wait 30-60 minutes before opening non-essential apps and messages. You could even replace that time with something non-screen-related (yoga, bird-watching, solving a crossword, drinking green tea—it could be anything, really).
Use Time Limits and Pauses
Most apps allow users to set daily time limits. Use these features liberally. Try to schedule time in your day to avoid accessing non-essential technology, especially while eating, taking a walk, or spending time with family or friends.
Pro-tip: There are third-party apps available that can limit access to certain apps during certain periods of the day. Take advantage of them.
Create a Screen-Free Wind-Down Evening Routine
Blue light from your devices can interfere with your circadian rhythms. On top of that, watching 85 short videos in a row can make it harder to relax and prepare your body for rest. If you must be online before bed, opt for a grayscale setting or use a blue light filter. Reading—or something without bright light—is objectively better for winding down. To minimize this effect, consider wearing blue light glasses. They filter out the blue light emitted by digital devices.
It’s important for kids, too. Not only to help make bedtime easier, but to help them develop essential sleep hygiene for later in life when restful sleep is often disrupted by the responsibilities of adult life.
Online Privacy
Healthy online habits are not just about how much time you spend online. It’s also about how you spend that time. Talking to strangers in chat rooms used to be the biggest online safety concern; now, getting hacked or scammed is a risk for internet users of all ages, including young users.
Part of taking care of yourself online is being smart about online safety. Be mindful about which websites you download from and where you share your personal information (especially your address, birthday, or phone number). Think critically before clicking on links in your email, even if they look like they are from trusted sources. If you don’t already know, learn how to use a VPN to encrypt your connection and hide your IP.
Having Discussions and Taking Action
While the statistics about screen time might strike a chord of uncertainty, attitudes about being online and using technology should not revolve around fear-mongering. Setting boundaries and better principles for screen time shouldn’t feel like a punishment.
Every household should encourage open discussions about social media, burnout, and being online. Talk about the science behind the habits, including comparison traps, dopamine, and the value of occasional boredom.
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