It’s not a coincidence that on days I lay my head to the pillow and think “wow, I had a really productive day” are the same days I say “wow, I wasn’t on Facebook all that much today” . This post is regarding my own personal screen time. I have also shared how our family has cut our screen time regarding the television and other devices my children us. You can read that post here, Slashing our Screen Time.
I was coming off a week with a very sore back and fighting a cold. I found myself getting to bed early because sitting on the couch wasn’t comfortable with my back pain. I’d bring my phone to bed, which wasn’t a typical habit of mine, and watch a couple of Youtube videos and then go to sleep. This Sunday night my back was finally feeling better but out of habit I took my phone upstairs. I was scrolling through my notifications to change a couple of settings when I stumbled on the total amount of time my phone was used that day. It said 4 hours and 24 minutes. I was sort of baffled by this. Over four hours of my day was spent staring at that tiny screen. Our phones are such wonderful tools. I can check the weather, communicate with people, listen to books, promote my blog, and so much more. But I had a hard reality check. Most of that 4 hours and 24 minutes was mindlessly scrolling Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Again, those things are useful tools and I acknowledge that. Some of you may be reading this blog because of those platforms and I am glad to use them but 4 hours and 24 minutes seemed to be much too long to be doing a mindless habitual task. This specific day wasn’t a school day but I am often instructing my children to get focused on their school work or to wait for help because I am doing things on my phone that could easily be done at a later time.
How can I say I had no time to do certain tasks or internally complain that I have to fold laundry at 10pm when I’d really like to go to bed? I want you to know that I am writing this as much for myself as I am for any readers who also feel they spend to much mindless time on their devices. It’s not a coincidence that on days I lay my head to the pillow and think “wow, I had a really productive day” are the same days I say “wow, I wasn’t on Facebook all that much today”. I need to make a bit of a strategy to help drop this habit of picking up my phone and checking social media just because the phone is there. Have you ever used the app On my way, or others similar? The intent is to promote safe driving by not texting while driving. I installed it several months ago and it has really helped me not pay attention to my phone. I will have boys driving me in a short number of years and I don’t want them to see that it’s common practice to use phones while driving. Once I spent some time using the app it helped me break the habit. This is my goal with regular phone use, this is not saying using your phone is bad but I need to put it down more often. These are ways I plan to help support this habit change. :
-Leave the phone downstairs at bedtime. On the rare occasion of sickness, Mister is out of town, or storms and I need to access it for early morning cancellation information.
-Have a book to read. This will help me get to bed earlier and still have that wind down time before turning off the light.
-Check the total time every few days to keep it monitored.
-No Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest from 8-12 each school day. Texts or calls will be ok unless those become a distraction.
These are not currently habits I practice but could be effective in cutting phone time if you working on this goal as well.
-Turn off all notifications for social media. You don’t need your phone binging and dinging with every “like” on FB do you?
-Get an actual alarm clock. They are very cheap and Amazon can have it to your door in two days. You don’t have to use your phone for an alarm clock.
-If you listen to audio books, music, or podcasts use an outdated device for that specific task while winding down at bedtime.
Our phones are tools and that’s OK. I’m grateful God created technology for us to communicate, make certain daily tasks as a home maker much easier, for me to blog and share Jesus and my take on life with you. But as with all good things they can be taken to excess. I want my boys to see my face when they come downstairs bleary eyed from sleep not me staring at my phone. It’s good to enjoy a sunset with your eyes and not race to grab your phone to take a picture. Not every photo taken needs to go on Facebook. Meals can be tasted, savored and enjoyed much more without a screen. Conversations can also be savored without a screen at the table. Connections with your family with be richer without the mindless aspect of social media. If you are joining me in making an effort to put the phone down, let me know. Let’s cheer each other on in the comments or other platforms that have connected us, after the hours of 8-12 of course.
Here, here, Melissa. I don’t have to worry too much about putting the phone down because I am not in the habit of picking it up in the first place. Now that I have a smart phone, though, I do have it in my pocket all the time (instead of leaving it on the kitchen table to take with me only when I leave the house). As is often the case with technology, people have to remind themselves that PEOPLE are more important than THINGS. When I’m in a room with other people, I want to focus on those people, and I don’t want to (nor do I want them to) check a phone whenever something buzzes or flashes. But I am old and old-fashioned; however, I remember talking to a colleague or to a principal in his/her office when the phone on their desk would ring, and they would immediately stop our conversation and say, “Excuse me” while they picked up the phone. Wait a minute–I’m right here! Or ordering at the counter in a fast food restaurant to have the person taking my order leave to wait on someone at the drive thru–not quite the same, but a similar feeling. So I agree with you completely. Adults already should model good behavior for our children, grandchildren, and students in so many ways. They learn to say “please” and “thank you,” to chew with their mouths closed, to be respectful and kind to others partly because we tell them to do those things but also because we do them, too. We simply need to add appropriate use of phones and other technology to the list. Thank you for reminding us of that. You are one great Maine Mama!