Was “digital detox” or “reduce screen time” on your New Year’s resolution list, but it’s not really happening? Maybe you’ve been glued to recent world events or news happening right in Canada and feel like you can’t put the phone down? You aren’t alone.
I need to reduce screen time and yet find myself in the same spiral over and over again. Pick it up. Open apps. Stress. Close. Repeat.
I, like many other parents, also encourage our teens to reduce their screen time, knowing all of the benefits of it. And yet…
It’s not the first time I felt overwhelmed being online, but as January nears an end, and I am failing this resolution goal I set, I know it’s time to put a better plan in place. And one of the perks about writing for an amazing organization like MediaSmarts is that they have helpful resources at my (and your) fingertips.
Creating intentional habits with my phone
If I don’t have good social media and phone use habits, how can I expect my kids too? Something has to change.
I started with this MediaSmarts resource article and focused on the concept of being more intentional. I want that for my phone use, except, the phone is my watch, my camera, my bank, my calculator, my weather app, my family communication device, my business tool…oh, and my telephone.
Oops. Back to being intentional.
Let’s break down some of the tips from the article:
“Before you open it, say what you’re going to do: “Check the weather,” for example.”
No problem. I can do the one thing I planned to do.
Wait, why is Instagram open again?
“Set ahead of time how you’ll know you’re finished – “When I know whether or not it’s likely to rain,” for instance.
I don’t want to know how cold it is most days, but I like this plan. In, then out.
Let me just check Instagram…
“Then say what you’ll do right after you’ve finished, like “Either get an umbrella or the sunscreen.” This helps you avoid that in-between moment when your thumb might tap another app without you thinking about it.””
After I check the weather app, I will open Instagram. NO! Wait!
I’m starting to see my true problem, and culprit.
Here’s the truth: I know I feel better when I am more balanced about my social media use - it’s the same advice we give our kids. Because we know it matters. However, maintaining a balance between being informed about events and news and not becoming consumed isn’t easy.
I am committed to doing better.
My own tip? I will say that I set the Instagram ‘usage amount time’ so that it does send me a notification when I’m approaching that limited time, and depending on the time of day it gives me an idea of success. A mid-morning notification that my time is coming up isn’t a great morning. But when it appears at the end of the day? I know that I’ve balanced my phone time. I just need to stop hitting ‘ignore the limit for the day’.
These reminders are helpful. And knowing I’m not the only one feeling this way is as well.
Let’s commit to making changes together, for ourselves and our kids.
Related resources:
- Building Better Tech Habits Guide and Self-Guided Workshop
- Dealing with digital stress
- Screen time and well-being fact sheet