How to Reduce Screen Time and Get Your Life Back

Let me paint you a picture…well, more like an anecdote: The alarm on your phone goes off and you wake up rather groggy. Immediately, you check all the notifications you missed throughout the night. This includes social media apps, news, email, and weather. Before you realize it, almost half an hour has passed by, and you realize you need to get your butt in gear before heading off to work. You continue to check your phone and text throughout the morning and even move to answering a few work emails. You neglect breakfast because of the time you spent on your phone. The morning news is on the background as you drink a cup of coffee, grab your belongings, and eventually head out the door.

At work, you look at a screen all day. You have a desk job that requires you to be on a computer. And of course, you’re also checking your phone. When the day ends, you head home. It’s dinner time, so you begin preparing food while scrolling through social media more and absent-mindedly watching TV. During dinner, you sit on the couch and watch your favorite show. After cleaning up from dinner and preparing for the next day, you sit back down on the couch and wonder why you’re so exhausted. You watch TV for the next few hours while you spend more time on your phone. Most likely you don’t really watch the TV show. You figure you should head to bed, so you do, taking your phone with you, scrolling some more before you put it down and repeat it all the next day.

If this is familiar to you, you’re not alone. This was me for many years, According to PC magazine, Americans spend an average of 4 ½ hours PER DAY on their phones. A.C. Neilson Co. estimated that Americans spend more than 4 hours PER DAY watching TV. I couldn’t find any hard statistics on how many people are working desk jobs and looking at computers all day, but I’m pretty sure it’s a decent amount of people. So, think about this: Assuming you working a desk job that has you on a computer for about 6 hours per day, you are spending approximately 14 hours most days looking at a screen. To say this could have detrimental impacts on your health is an understatement.

I know so many people who long to reduce screen time, disconnect from tech, and live a slower life but just don’t know how. I’m happy to tell you there is hope. I escaped the rat race and you can, too! An important part of slowing down involves reducing screen time; they just go hand-in-hand. And trust me, it’s not as scary as you might think. It’s been more than six years since I deleted my social media accounts and I think it’s part of the reason I don’t get stressed very often. With that said, let me share with you some practical and easy tips to help you reduce your screen time and get your life back.

Delete unnecessary apps off your phone.

Our phones are like our living spaces: They get cluttered pretty easily. The average American has about 80 apps on their phone but only uses about 9-10 on a daily basis. Approximately 85% of time is spent using apps. This was kind of a mind-blowing statistic! One of the best things you can do is declutter your phone and this includes purging apps. I do this quite frequently because I always end up downloading apps I don’t use. My goal is to use my phone as little as possible throughout the day; although, this has been hard due to my current work situation (more on that at another time). One thing I definitely don’t do is play digital games; however, when I check my apps, random games will pop up on my phone. This is why it’s important to declutter your apps regularly.

Considering ditching social media altogether (at least from your phone).

Ok, I know I’m going to get some flak for this one, especially since approximately 72% of the United States population uses some form of social media. I’m also speaking from a bias, because in 2018, I dropped all my social media accounts. I currently use Pinterest and sometimes YouTube, but other than that, I’m not on any social media platforms. I have to say, it’s changed my life for the better. Along with not using social media accounts, I don’t watch much TV, but I’ve noticed how many ads I get bombarded with when I watch something on Amazon Prime (the only streaming service I have). Since I’m not regularly exposing myself to various media, I feel a lot calmer and don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. It’s only when I expose myself to media that this happens.

This is why I’m recommending you ditch social media apps, at least temporarily. You don’t even need to delete your accounts, but something about not having access to them regularly starts turning your wheels. My friends tell me they will “phantom swipe” to wherever the app is, only to realize it’s gone. After a while though, you forget about it. While it’s great to connect with others, doing it through social media isn’t truly connecting. It only offers a mirage of what true connectivity looks like.

Treat your phone like it’s only a phone.

How often do you actually use your phone for its intended purpose? Probably much less than you use the Internet and apps that are loaded onto that tiny hand=held device. I’m guilty of it myself. For years, I refused to get a smartphone. I caved in 2014, only to go back to a flip phone in 2018. After my long-term relationship ended in 2022, I went back to a smartphone. Most days I wish I had stuck with a flip phone but I’ve come to terms with my choice. However, I’ve pared down my phone to containing very few apps. I recommend you do the same! One of my favorite new sites is called The Opt Out Family. One reason I love them is because they’re not on social media! Another reason I like The Opt Out Family is because they have a resource to help you “dumb down” your smartphone. You can check it out here.

When you delete all the unnecessary junk off your phone, life doesn’t feel as stressful. There isn’t as much digital clutter and you begin to gain back some time you previously thought wasn’t there. You also give your eyes and brain a break and reduce screen time!

Set timers and website/app limits.

Want a great, easy way to reduce screen time? Set timers and app limits on your phone. This is a great idea if you don’t want to go cold turkey but are wanting to reduce screen time. I don’t have many apps on my phone, but I do currently have an Internet browser. It’s so easy to make it a time waster. I found that sometimes I was spending more than 2.5 hours on the Internet on my phone! Currently, it’s limited to 90 minutes which I still think is pretty high. However, right now it’s a good place for me and I’m looking to start decreasing the amount.

It’s a good idea to look at the apps you use the most or the ones you feel you want to spend less time on. After you figure out what your average current usage is, set a timer for 10-15 minutes less than what you’re currently using. Lean into the timer when it goes off and DON”T get back on the app. Slowly starting cutting the timer down and eventually, you may be able to delete the app altogether.

Get outside every day for at least 10 minutes.

Maybe you live in a city or very suburban area and feel like this isn’t possible. I promise you, it is. I very recently moved to Colorado Springs, which is very urbanized. Yes, we have TONS of green space all around us, and that’s my point. Almost every city has some sort of walkable area. You CAN and should make it work. There are incredible benefits to getting outside. Even if it’s sitting on your patio or porch and having your morning coffee, you will get the benefits. There’s a good bit of research that shows that getting outside first thing after the sun rises helps to reset your circadian rhythm and helps you sleep better. If you’re in an area like me where nature is bountiful, it’s hard not to want to be outside.

Read a book.

When was the last time you read an entire book? Hopefully pretty recently! If not, maybe it’s time to consider picking up a novel. And I’m not talking about on an E-reader. I’m talking about a good old-fashioned paper book. Reading not only increases vocabulary, it helps to reduce screen time and gives your brain rest from devices. You may be thinking that it’s too difficult to read because you can’t concentrate. I understand and I’ve been there! Screens can be a lot more fun because they keep our brains so active. However, if you’re wanting to read but you don’t feel like your brain can handle it, I suggest you start with an audiobook. If you’re wanting to try a paper book, try reading just 5-10 pages at a time and then increase from there.

Stop multi-tasking.

In our fast-paced, hustle culture society, we must constantly be doing. It’s hard for us to slow down, but I promise, giving up multi-tasking is one of the best ways to reduce screen time. I know you’ve been there: Scrolling on your phone while “watching” a show and cooking dinner at the same time. Our brains are actually incapable of multi-tasking so when we try to, it just overloads us. You may be wondering then, how will I get everything done?? Ahhh, the beauty of slow living, my friends. When you slow down and start to relinquish tasks you once thought were so important, life gets much less stressful.

You can’t do it all and you’ve got to accept that fact. Maybe you’re in too many activities or maybe your job is just too much. You might be going out too often or taking on too many projects. When you can learn to focus on one task at a time, your brain has more time to think through all of the tasks you’re trying to accomplish. You don’t feel so overwhelmed, and you suddenly get back a lot more time. It’s a wonderful thing.

Eat dinner without using any devices.

I think this piece of advice is one of the easier ones to help you reduce screen time, especially if you live with another person. However, I know there are families who eat with devices at the table. And I know that if you live alone, it’s easy to distract yourself with a device. I would implore you to consider going device-free at the dinner table, though. You’re probably on screens a lot throughout the day and when you use them at dinner, all they function as is a distraction. When you eat in quiet, it allows you to completely focus on the food that you’re eating.

Sit in silence for just a few minutes.

Let’s be honest, sitting in silence is uncomfortable. I’m not talking about being on the computer without noise. I’m talking about just sitting in silence. I often think of my grandfather because he did this a lot. When he hunted and fished, it was always in quiet. And in the evenings after he read the paper and watched the news, he would sit in his chair and just be. I envy him because he never owned a computer, never had a TV in his bedroom, and never had a cell phone. He was so content. There’s something about being in silence that offers such peace. In the mornings, instead of scrolling on your phone, consider drinking your coffee sans noise. If the idea of being in silence makes you really uncomfortable, set a timer and start with just a minute or two. Eventually, you’ll forget you’re without noise!

Create routines for the morning and evening.

As I mentioned before, devices often serve as distractions when we’re bored. If you want to reduce screen time, create routines for yourself. Not that you want to be over-productive, but by creating routines for yourself, you know that you have tasks to accomplish, hopefully keeping the device usage to a minimum. Routines don’t even have to be complicated. It can be as simple as packing your lunch before you go to bed or spending time winding down at night. Either way, by creating routines, you’ll reduce screen time and feel great about your day.

Turn off devices an hour before bed.

I’m talking about you, blue light exposure! We use devices so often, we probably don’t even know when we’re being exposed to blue light. Unfortunately, it’s everywhere. However, there are ways you can avoid it. Reduce screen time by turning off devices an hour before bed. Can’t do an hour? Even 15-30 minutes can make a difference. Why is it important to be off devices before you go to bed? It turns out that blue light exposure inhibits the release of melatonin. Too much time being exposed to blue light means you’re less likely to get a good night’s rest. Instead of scrolling, read a book, or put on an audiobook while you’re phone is on airplane mode.

Keep your phone out of the bedroom.

This piece of advice goes along with the last one. In order to further reduce screen time, keep your phone entirely out of your bedroom. You might try to fight me on this because your phone is your alarm clock. Well, I’m happy to tell you that actual alarm clocks do still exist! I’ve been using mine since 2017. Need a light? Get a flashlight, or for more fun, use a beeswax candle! In your bedroom, you absolutely do not need your phone to function. The texts and social media notifications can wait until later in the day. You’ll feel less stressed when you put all of it on hold.

Switch out your smart watch for a real one.

Ok, so I can’t entirely speak for myself on this one because I have a Garmin Forerunner 265 and it does some awesome things. However, I don’t have it connected to my phone whatsoever. That means I don’t get any texts, calls, or notifications on my watch. I just use it for the stats it provides for me. However, another option is to get a simple analog or digital watch. It’s yet another way to reduce screen time and lower your daily distractions.

Swap out TV for new hobbies.

I love learning new things! Unfortunately, TV gets in the way of that a lot. I will say that YouTube can be great for learning things so I’m not knocking it. But, if you find yourself seated in front of the TV every night just to numb your brain, consider a new but peaceful hobby. You could go for a walk, color, do diamond art, sew or knit, or even bake. The goal is to reduce screen time, not forego it entirely (unless that’s your thing), so if you feel that watching YouTube to learn new things will help you watch less TV, then go for it!

Consider a career switch.

Finally, you may want to consider a career switch. I know this is one of the least likely to happen, but it’s on here for a reason. When I worked my office job, I was on screens nonstop. My eyes and brain were exhausted every day from staring at screens all day. When I switched to my part-time job, I was able to reduce screen time significantly. Obviously, you need to make sure you are in a financially stable situation. Don’t just quit your job because you’re tired of looking at computers. If you are financially stable and not sure why you still have this job you dislike though, consider switching to something more hands-on.

Jobs that don’t require you to stare at a screen all day include baker/chef, construction, park service, librarian/assistant, electrician, carpenter, pet sitter, driver, tutor/teacher, and postal service mail carrier.

So, what about you? How have you found ways to reduce screen time in order to get your life back? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!