Creating Healthy Tech Habits
Many of us have been there—sacrificing quality time with family, alone time to decompress, or even time to sleep in order to stay plugged in to our devices. They are, after all, a source for unlimited scrolling.
If you’ve found yourself—or a child or grandchild—a bit too tethered to a phone or tablet recently, a reset is probably in order.
Centers Healthcare has five steps on creating healthy tech habits.
- Focus on the People You’re With
You might just be checking something to stay plugged in, but set boundaries using your phone when you are with people. Focus on your family, friends, or guests and be present with them instead of making them feel like they’re competing for your attention.
- Screen-Free Meals
Not only is the togetherness of a family meal broken if each member of the family is on their devices while eating, but it can also be detrimental to your physical health. If you’re paying attention to your screen, you’re eating less mindfully and could end up overeating.
- Make the Bedroom a No-Phone Zone
Phones can not only disrupt our sleep just by keeping our attention on them, but the blue light that they emit can also trick the body into thinking it should remain awake. If you have a spouse, be present with them as well instead of tethered to your phone.
If you use your phone for an alarm clock, keep it somewhere out of your reach while laying in bed.
- Move Instead
If you’re spending down time on the couch in front of your phone, set a goal to be moving during that time instead of being sedentary.
- Use the Phone’s Limit Features
Most phones now come with settings and timers where you can set daily limits on certain apps or just using the phone in general in order to keep you honest on limiting your screen time per day.
