Simplify Your Screen Time for a Better Life

Up to 40 million Americans struggle with internet addiction. One of the most difficult aspects of treating this disorder is the constant exposure to our digital world, which requires a focus on management skills rather than removal.

But even those of us who aren’t addicts spend more time online than we know we should.

Our notebooks and cameras are consolidated into a device that fits neatly into a pocket. Any question can be answered in a moment. Instead of plotting a route on a map, we can blindly follow the cues of a disembodied voice to reach our destination. Social validation is now measured by likes and hearts.

Scientist know that this new world is changing how our brains work, though they’re still not quite sure exactly how.

We don’t need science to know the melancholy of seeing a beautiful landscape online, only to feel the pang of regret of not being out there ourselves.

So here are 10 reasons to spend less time looking at screens, and 10 things you can do instead:

1. It is influencing your worldview.

This isn’t a bad thing, as exposure to other opinions is healthy, but it’s important to be aware of, and to take things with a grain of salt.

2. It is influencing your spending habits.

Corporations don’t spend hundreds of billions of dollars in online advertising hoping to influence you. They spend hundreds of billions of dollars because they know they will influence you.

3. It is taking you away from the real people all around you.

Social media can be a great tool, but it’s best when used to make plans to spend time with people face to face. You’ll make lasting connections that “liking” a photo pales in comparison to.

4. It is robbing you of precious mental energy.

When you’re logged on, your concentration is held hostage. Your mental energy is drawn into the screen instead of the people around you or other pursuits.

5. It is costing you money.

From the gadgets to the energy powering them, electronics take a bite out of our budgets.

6. It makes us less patient.

Over 40% of website visitors leave the page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Can you relate?

7. It is bad for your health.

While the internet itself may not conclusively contribute to poor health, a sedentary lifestyle does.

8. It results in less satisfaction with life.

Seeing the highlights-reel version of our friends’ lives can make us feel sad and envious, even if we don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes.

9. It results in less sex.

Couples who watch Netflix in bed are less likely to have sex than those who don’t. And if you ask me, that should be reason enough.

10. Its opportunity cost is too great. The average American spends 24 hours a week online, a full day!

That’s time you could have spent exercising, eating a meal together, entertaining, volunteering, enjoying nature, meditating, enjoying a hobby, practicing a skill, reading a book, or fulfilling a dream.

Today, pencil in a digital fast for either a full day or half a day this week. Wrap up online tasks in advance. Consider how you’ll spend that time. Make a plan. If you can get a friend or family member to join, even better.

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About the Author: Gabriella Hileman is an artist and creative producer living in the Southwest with her husband, son and parrot.