Embracing balance: 10 tips to reduce screen time

Monitoring, reducing, or even completely removing screen time from your day isn’t always easy.

This guide features our top 10 tips to help get your digital detox started.

How many hours of your life have you spent scrolling on your phone? If you're reading this article, maybe you've decided the answer is 'too many!'. To help you reconnect with the real world, we’ve found some simple and practical steps you can take to reduce interruptions and reclaim a healthier phone-life balance.

Here are 10 steps you can take to recalibrate your relationship with your phone to enjoy the benefits of reduced screen time.

1) Deactivate your phone’s internet access

Start by taking a decisive step towards conscious connectivity: being mindful of how, when, and why you decide to go online. This move isn't about complete isolation but making a deliberate choice to prioritize presence over pixels. By temporarily disconnecting, you create a space for genuine interactions with others outside your phone, giving your brain a break from the constant stream of digital information.

2) Switch to a device with no built-in internet access

If you want to better define your time away from the internet – for specific activities or during certain hours – switch to an offline device. The physical separation from your regular phone will help you foster a more present mindset, allowing you to embrace intentional connectivity without the constant lure of online distractions.

3) Assign internet access to routine activities

Curb internet access by aligning it with routine activities, such as only checking emails. Designating specific times for checking your inbox or engaging in online tasks enables you to maintain productivity and develop healthy smartphone habits.

4) Tidy up your apps

Phones can often resemble cluttered virtual desks. Simplify your digital space by uninstalling or deactivating unnecessary apps. This not only declutters your phone but also minimizes distractions to improve your concentration.

5) Uninstall or deactivate social media accounts

Evaluate your social media usage and consider uninstalling or deactivating accounts that no longer positively contribute to your life. Curating your digital space means you can set boundaries with how people contact you and how you interact with others. And reducing the amount of ‘doomscrolling’ in your day is always a good thing.

6) Use tools or apps to reduce screen time

Using a dedicated app, you can restrict the amount of time you spend on your phone across specific applications. Most screen management apps allow you to implement time-related limits that block access to nominated apps. This can either be after a certain time in the day (between 10 PM and 8 AM, for example) or after an amount of time spent on a particular app (for example a daily limit of two hours on YouTube or other social media app).

7) Switch off notifications

Become a master of distraction management by selectively turning off notifications for apps like email, messaging tools, and social media. By limiting disruptions, you can engage with your device when you choose to, allowing space for uninterrupted work and leisure time.

8) Leave your phone in a different room from where you sleep

Transform your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary by excluding phones and smart devices from it.

Disconnecting at bedtime cultivates a healthier sleep routine and takes away the temptation to check the notifications that wake your brain up. Removing devices creates a peaceful environment conducive to rest, sleep, and rejuvenation.

9) Take a trip with no devices

Declare a temporary hiatus from your smart devices and plan a trip without them. Re-immerse yourself in the physical world to renew your perspective and instill a greater sense of self away from technology.

10) Go on a complete digital detox

Ease yourself into this one by implementing some of the above tips first. Or, if you’re looking for hardcore respite, then dive right in! Disconnecting entirely from screens offers a profound opportunity for self-reflection, reevaluation of priorities, and a renewed connection to the world outside the digital realm. Afterwards, you might find it’s much easier to limit screen time for good.

Journey towards digital mindfulness

Using these activities to reduce screen time will help you create a more harmonious relationship with technology. Establishing healthier boundaries for yourself and your phone leaves room for improved well-being. By clearly defining technology’s place in your life, you can reclaim your time and attention, and rediscover what it’s like to live in the present.