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Tips in Limiting Phone Screen Time
As of the current era we are living in today, most of our lives have been improved and are greatly influenced by technology. And one of the most prevalent pieces of technology the people living in this world can’t get enough of is the smartphone. An all in one device which can act as a camera, computer, calculator, alarm clock, entertainment, navigation system, and can even be connected to your bank accounts.
With all the little perks of the smartphone, it is no wonder that individuals are hooked on this portable do-it-all. However, there are certain drawbacks when individuals get addicted to the gadget too much. And if you want to learn how to control your time spent on your mobile device, then continue reading the article to find out how.
Why spending too much time on your phone is bad for you
It is no argument that smartphones and the apps they support are useful and efficient tools to save time and effort, however, being too reliant on a single device could lead to chaos and disarray when that device fails.
Aside from being too reliant on your smartphone, spending too much time on your smartphone can also irritate and damage your eyes in the long run. And your eyes are not the only things that will suffer when spending too much time on your phone. Excessive browsing of social media apps supported by your smartphone can also give you a false sense of reality and distort your standards which can lower your self-esteem and cause self-doubt.
Plus, spending too much time on your phone a few days before an exam can take away precious time from your studying which could lead to a bad mark once left unattended. It is quite ironic how smartphones help us save so much time by having so much tools which can make our tasks easier, yet eats up all the time saved and even more through its various apps.
10 tips to limit time spent on your phone
Whether you want to put your phone away for a few days because of an upcoming exam, or you want to redo your life and start a life of less reliance to a smartphone, you have chosen to look up how to spend less time on your phone (more than 50% chance you are reading this on your phone though). And that is what we are here to discuss today. However, do note that the effectiveness of these tips depends solely on your devotion to limiting your time spent on your phone and can vary from person to person.
1. Set a screen time reminder
Most smartphones today are usable for about 5 or more hours, assuming that you started using the phone while it was fully charged up to the point where it shutdowns completely. And while this can be a pretty great feat, this is also one of the things which promote too much usage of your phone. Try to set a screen time reminder on your phone to notify you when you are already using it for too long.
You can edit the time it takes for the reminder to go off in most phones and set it to a time you seem fit. This can help tell you when you have already used up the time allocated for browsing through your phone according to your schedule.
2. Plan activities with your friends
What better way to avoid constantly scrolling through your feed and looking at where your friends have been than to be with your friends themselves. Distract yourself by going out with your friends and doing exciting activities. This not only keeps you from spending too much time with your phone, but can also be a way to bond with your friends. The situation hits two birds with one stone.
And if the activity you planned with your friends happens to be physical activities like hiking, biking, or swimming, then you can also get your much needed exercise as well. That makes it hitting three birds with one well aimed stone.
3. Call instead of chat
Another way to limit the time you spend on your mobile device is to call someone when you want to discuss something instead of chatting them. Calls are way faster at getting to the point as you can get the answers for your inquiries almost instantly as the person you are calling will have their full attention drawn towards you. You also get rid of the temptation of scrolling through your phone while waiting for a reply from whoever it was you chatted or texted.
Yes, calls can be sometimes expensive especially if your service provider has a limit to the amount of call time you get, but the time saved from having to wait for a rely and scrolling through your phone while waiting for a reply will be worth every penny. Calls are also a much more intimate form of communication as you are talking directly to the receiver of the call and not just reading words you have typed.
4. Set an automatic on/off schedule for your phone
If you have trouble with putting away your phone especially when it is time to sleep, then we advise that you set an automatic on/off schedule for your phone. This can be found in the settings section for most smartphones and only takes a few moments to set up. Once set, your smartphone automatically powers off at the designated time even if it still has some battery left, and powers on at the time you set it.
This can help you limit the time spent on your phone especially during night as you can set an automatic power off schedule for the proper time to sleep. Since the phone’s power gets completely cut off as opposed to a reminder when setting screen time reminders, this is perfect for those individuals who have trouble with discipline and lack the willpower to let go of their phones when it is time to sleep.
5. Uninstall social media apps and games
One of the most time consuming and addicting components of the smartphone is the apps that are run by it, specifically social media apps and games. And as a counter measure to this, you can uninstall these applications to make your smartphone less time consuming. Yes, it would make your smartphone lose most of what makes it interesting, but you also achieve the goal of limiting your time spent on your phone.
Your phone will still have the important apps that enable you to call, text, search the internet, take notes, and a lot more, so it wouldn’t be rendered useless. And if you feel like uninstalling all of your social media apps and games is too much then you can start by uninstalling a few of these apps first and work on uninstalling them all eventually. Plus, you always have the option of reinstalling these apps anytime you want so it’s not going to be that big of a shock to you.
6. Keep your phone on silent while studying
If your only goal is to limit the time you spend on your phone when the exams come around, then you can opt for a more subtle approach by keeping your phone silent when studying. This can help make you more focused and avoid distractions that may occur while you are studying such as unnecessary notifications. However, do make sure to still keep vibrations on when receiving calls as you may never know when someone calls you because of an emergency.
7. Read your books
Another great way to distract you from your phone is to go back to the old school and read a few books and novels. Reading books do not hurt your eyes as much as scrolling through your social media feed does (as long as you are reading in a well-lit area). You can also improve you vocabulary and learn a lot of new and interesting things while reading a book. Reading books also help make your brain more imaginative especially when you are reading fiction as it forces your brain to conjure up images of vivid figures and landscapes as described by the words of the author.
8. Revisit old hobbies
While we are on the topic of distraction, why not distract yourself even further from using your smartphone too much by revisiting old hobbies you have thrown away? You may want to pick up your old bike that has been sitting on your house for years and try cycling again, or get your dusty guitar and start learning to play new songs, or even lift up your knife, make your best Gordon Ramsay impression, and begin cooking world class dishes. The limitations are endless as long as you enjoy life again and break free from the chains of your smartphone.
9. Involve your friends in your goal
Doing all of these tips alone can seem rather difficult to pull off especially when you have no one to keep you motivated in accomplishing it. This is why it can be a great idea to include your friends in your goal to limit time spent on your mobile devices. This can help strengthen you bonds with your friends as you are all working towards the same goal.
This can also make you and your friends closer to each other as you are no longer limited to just chatting with each other and are now calling or meeting them. No activity can seem rewarding and fun when dine alone, and limiting your time spent on your phone is no exception to the rule as well.
10. Indulge in your studies
Another way to lessen the amount of time you spend on your phone is to indulge in your studies and get better marks. You distract yourself from social media and games and focus on your time and attention on studying. This can be beneficial for your future as well as good marks will mean a better chance of employment.
And one tip we can give you to improve you marks and get you fired up with studying is to hire a capable and skilled home tutor. Home tutors will not only teach you lessons, but they can also impart their knowledge and skills on other things such as time-management, study habits, and even keeping yourself from being distracted by your phone. Lucky for you, we have just the right place for you to look. FamilyTutor is a home tuition agency with thousands of, you guessed it: capable and skilled tutors. We offer subjects for pre-school up to university level students and have a variety of subjects to choose from. And as an added bonus, our rates are ensured to be at market value to give you quality education at a reasonable price.
Carelle
Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.
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About FamilyTutor!
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