I’m surprised that this is the first time I’ve talked about the topic of screen time on the podcast because it’s actually something I’m really passionate about in my life. 

When the screen time feature on Apple came out, I think a lot of people were pretty shocked to find how much of their time was spent on their phone. I had been using an app called Moment for a while before that feature came out, so I had already started working on my screen time habits. 

Something I’ve realized about screen time though is that you can work on getting the time you spend on your screen to be lower, without actually dealing with the root issue of what you are spending time doing on your phone. 

One of the biggest energy drains for me is consuming too much content. Even on a week where there’s nothing controversial or news worthy going on, I quickly get burnt out watching Instagram stories for more than a few minutes at a time. 

When we spend more time consuming content than creating it, our creative energy gets zapped from us and we often fall into a comparison trap thinking about the content OTHER people are creating and comparing ours to it. 

Be more intentional about your screen time

What do you want to use your screen for? It’s so easy to think we need to be on our phones all the time for work. That just isn’t true! Even if you regularly post on Instagram or do live videos, you don’t have to be glued to your phone. 

If you want to use your phone for connection, set some guidelines for what you want that to look like. At the end of the day, YOU control how much you use your phone. Your phone doesn’t control you — even if it feels like it sometimes. 

Practical ways to lower screen time

• Track your time either with built in features on your phone or another app, like Moment
• Challenge yourself to keep your screen time under a specific amount of time
• Delete apps that are a time suck from your phone
• Turn off notifications to as much as possible
• Set timers when you use certain apps that suck you in
• Put your phone face down on the counter when you aren’t using it
• Put your phone in another room, on do not disturb or on airplane mode for a period of the day

Create boundaries around your screen time

Whether you use Apple or Android, you can set time limits for certain apps or monitor your screen time. Make it a challenge with yourself to stay under a certain amount of screen time. 

This really is a personal preference what boundaries you set, whether it’s not checking your phone until a certain time, keeping your phone in another room while you’re working or playing with your kids, removing apps from your phone. 

Figure out your triggers

What is the trigger that pulls you into your phone? For most people it’s likely notifications. That’s why I highly recommend turning those off, except for the ones you want to have. 

Maybe your trigger is boredom or avoiding emotions. Honestly this one is huge for a lot of people! 

Once you figure out what’s triggering you to overuse your phone, it can help you put those boundaries in place. 

How to create more content

Sometimes we are so burnt out on social media that we feel like we have nothing to share. This often comes from imposter syndrome or the comparison game. But when you step away from it all, you may find yourself more inspired. 

Here are a few tips for creating more: 

• Use a scheduler (like Planoly)
• Create a time block to schedule
• Take photos and videos in real time, but don’t post them in real time
• Create a time block for engaging on social media or responding to messages
• Regularly audit who you are following
• Break beyond the recipe content

Additional Resources:

• The Purpose Gathering: Screen addition and kids
• Eat Blog Talk: Entrepreneurs and Tech Addiction with Amy Morin
• Documentary: The Social Dilemma