Ahana Roy
Teenagers often have an extensive screen time which can negatively impact their academic performance. The Sidekick staff writer Priyan Selveraj details how harmful excessive phone usage can be and how to limit it. Graphic by Ahana Roy
You look at your phone for a quick break. However, you do not realize the hours passing as you are locked into your phone screen, either scrolling through your social media feed or playing a game.
At first, it might seem like it is not significantly impacting you, but over time excessive screen time provides an easy outlet for distraction and loss of focus which prevents you from doing work.
Excessive screen time can physically impact health by causing headaches and eye strain. However, it is possible to break away from this habit with small steps.
Setting screen time limits:
I find this method effective since the phone monitors and limits your screen time in different categories like social media, gaming and messages. This gradually reduces the phone usage and it becomes easier to form healthier digital habits and make time for other activities. Setting screen time limits lowers your stress by balancing your chemicals in your body, and as a result helps you lower your anxiety.
Blocking notifications:
Ting!
You pick your phone up to check the notification. Without realizing, you not only check the message, but you end up scrolling through Instagram, TikTok or YouTube as well. Many distractions are caused by the notification alerts from your phone as they pull your attention away from the task at hand, breaking your focus.
Putting your phone on silent mode or turning off notifications reduces the urge to check your phone. You can choose the apps or contacts you want notifications from through the Settings app on your phone.
The 20-20-20 rule:
Staring at screens for a long time can lead to eye strain and headaches. The 20-20-20 rule explains that for every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, a person should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps reduce strain on your eyes and minimize the negative impacts of screen exposure such as blue light.
Go outdoors:
I often turn to this method as it offers me a break from my phone and the other devices I use. Stepping out for a walk or playing some kind of sport helps stay away from the phone. Being outdoors not only improves your physical health, but also boosts your mood.
Reducing your screen time can be more beneficial than you think. Taking these steps helps to get better sleep, improves your mental state of mind and strengthens relationships with those around you. Not only does reducing screen time improve your physical well-being, but it can also boost your academic performance and give a greater sense of control over your daily activities as you are not constantly sucked into the screen.
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