It is so easy to get caught up in staring at a screen for hours at a time! This month we are focusing on trying to reduce screen time and replacing it with a healthy alternative.
What screen time can you reduce? For some people their work is on a screen so reducing that time is impossible. But we do have control on the time we spend watching TV, playing video games, scrolling on social media and other various apps on our phones. Not that all these things are bad by any means, but we can lose a lot of time mindlessly scrolling or playing a game.
Staring a screen can also cause a lot of eye fatigue as well as spine issues! Many people who are spending time on a laptop or phone tend to not have good spinal posture when doing so. We tend to look down doing these activities which can cause a lot of strain on our necks. Ever heard of “text neck?” That is when your neck straightens out and your head starts to move forward away from your body instead of balanced on your shoulders. This can lead to a lot of muscle tension but since it also puts pressure on the nervous system it can cause a ton of other problems in your body!
Social media can also cause a lot of anxiety and stress for people. Often times people only post their best or even an exaggeration of so, which can lead to feelings of comparison which can steal your joy! Also people tend to be more brazen on social media since they are not face to face so it is easy to fall into a trap of arguments on differing opinions.
What more could you be doing with your time if you spent a little less time in front of a screen? Most commonly you might be able to spend more face-to-face connection with your friends/family. It is so easy to pull out your phone and get lost in it than to engage in those around you. Even though in some ways, our phones make us MORE connected, in reality they often make us LESS connected in the real world.
Or what about picking up a book and learning something new? Or just sitting and breathing instead of filling every free moment looking at your phone? Luckily these smart phones do come with ways to limit your time on apps you choose or you can just consciously choose to turn your phone OFF during certain times.
Try it. See if you notice a positive difference in your life. 🙂