It's understandable how a lot of people across the world can't control how much time they spend in front of their screens because it's a window through which we see a lot of things, people get hooked to their screens because of movies, games, football and many other entertaining stuff. There was a time when TV and those big computers were the only screens we had but as technology advanced, a lot of things changed.
The invention of Smart devices took people's screen addiction to a whole new level and we can't blame technology for the upgrade, we have ourselves to blame for not being able to control our screen time.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time in front of the TV. I was up to date with every movie series back then and I also enjoy watching animations. Fast forward to when I got my first browsing phone which was a Java phone, my attention shifted from seeing movies to surfing the internet and playing mobile games. I didn't stop watching TV though but the time I spent in front of it had reduced a lot.
Then Smartphones came into the picture and TV became something I barely use because smartphones were able to perform the function of a TV and Java phone combined. I could watch anything, play games and surf the internet with ease so I became so much addicted to my smartphone. As years passed, maturity set in and I gained control over my screen time but it was only for a while because, with the high numbers of opportunities present online, it's impossible not to spend a lot of time with our eyes fixed on the screen.
At the moment, I wouldn't say I am addicted to my screen because the basic things I do for now are football and engaging to earn some crypto. I barely watch movies and the time I spend using social apps for chat is very low so I don't spend much time on screen. Despite the little time I spend on the screen, there are times get really tired of staring at my phone or PC screen.
There is a limit to which our body can endure things and these limits are different for us as an individual, they even change as we get older just like many of us are experiencing today. Naturally, staring at the screen for too long causes me watery eyes so when I notice that my eyes are getting wet for no reason, I just take a break automatically.
Controlling the time we spend in front of the screen is quite important because the consequences are numerous. It can range from addiction to losing connection with the real world, having health challenges such as obesity and eye defects, having mental/emotional struggles and many more. Today, screen addiction is very common among kids, teenagers and youths which might pose a huge problem in the future than many screen addicts are struggling with today.
My reason for having less time to spend in front of the screen is that I engage in a lot of offline activities. Being a fish farmer, I need all concentration on the farm so I put my phone away to avoid accidentally dropping it in the pond or stepping on it.
I spend time in the kitchen and also do my chores so these things keep me away from my phone which makes engaging more in physical activities a good way to control your screen time. When you prioritize some physical activities for yourself, it helps control your screen time and these activities must be things that are beneficial to us.
Digital detox is another way to control screen time and it can be quite challenging when you have places must visit daily online but it's still very possible if you can prioritize the things you need to do online, get it done as fast as possible and just hit the offline mode. I learned this from a friend and it helps a lot mentally because it helps channel your concentration on other things other than just replying to chats, checking status and stories on different platforms etc.
I have practiced this a few times and it's cool. At first, I always felt like a part of me was missing but with time, I was able to cope.
In a situation where spending lots of time on screen is inevitable because of our jobs and others, I advise the use of blue light glasses to help with light reduction from the screen and also using our device screen brightness protection is important.
Above all, being disciplined is what really matters because without it, none of the things mentioned above would be possible. As good as spending time in front of the screen might look, there are lots of problems attached and it's important that we get things under our control before the consequences start kicking in.
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