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Health Line
6 days ago
- General
- Health Line
8 Tips for Reducing Screen Time
Some ways you can reduce screen time include using greyscale, turning off notifications, and engaging intentionally with content. Screen time is not inherently bad. However, too much screen time can be harmful. Excessive screen time is associated with health problems such as binge-eating disorder and sleep problems. If you are looking to reduce your screen time, you may consider implementing one or more of the following eight tips. Track your screen time The first step toward making a change is understanding the scope of the situation. Many devices track screen time. You can see the average amount of time spent on your device, how much time you've spent on specific applications, and even how many times you have picked up your device. If your device lets you see how much time is spent on each application, you can delete the apps you spend the most time on. This way, you cannot access the applications easily. Use greyscale You may consider putting your phone or other device in greyscale mode if it is an option. This will remove all colors from your screen, which may make your phone less gratifying. A 2023 study found that individuals who put their phone in greyscale saw reduced screen time. The study also found that participants were aware of their problematic smartphone use behavior, and that setting the phone in greyscale reduced this behavior. A 2019 study found that greyscale reduced the screen time in college students by an average of 37 minutes per day. Turn off notifications It can be tempting to pick up your phone when it is constantly alerting you about random things. In your settings, you can change which apps can send you alerts. This way, you may not feel the need to pick up your device. Some devices also have a 'do not disturb' or 'focus' setting, in which only urgent notifications will come through. Other people may be alerted to this setting and know you are not able to respond right away, such as in your messaging app. Designate no screen times Set certain times or situations in which you will not use your phone. For example, you may decide that you will not use screens during meals or when you are with friends. This can help you stay grounded and engaged during these activities. You may also consider not using your phone right before bed, as this can disrupt your sleep. Pick up a hobby If you are cutting out time spent on your phone, something else will have to fill that time. This is a perfect opportunity to explore activities you want to try or rediscover an old hobby you are passionate about. Some activities you may consider can include: meditation or yoga meeting with friends in-person journaling or creative writing reading coloring crafting activities, such as crocheting or scrapbooking engaging in exercise, such as taking a walk studying something independently, such as learning a new language Reducing your screen time may feel easier if you feel fulfilled by other activities. Talk about it It is easier to make a change with a support system rather than doing it alone. Giving voice to the issue can make it feel more 'real.' Your friends and loved ones can hold you accountable to your goals. You may find that they also want to cut down their screen time, and you can make changes together. Engage intentionally With social media, it can feel like there are an infinite number of things to keep up with at all times. For example, news can be shared at all hours of the day instead of just during scheduled broadcasts. You may consider setting certain times to check for news and to check up on your friends instead of constantly scrolling. This can allow you to stay keyed in to things that are happening without feeling overwhelmed. You may also consider removing people you do not know and accounts that make you feel bad from your social media following. This way, you will not see them in your feed. Use screen time positively Limiting screen time does not mean cutting it out altogether. There are several positive ways to use screen time, such as video chatting with loved ones and watching movies at the same time with long-distance friends. The next time you are using your phone, pay attention to how it makes you feel. For example, you may feel happy while talking with friends or listening to music, but you may feel sad while scrolling endlessly on social media. This way, you can keep the apps that make you feel good about yourself and focus on reducing your engagement with the apps that do not. Be kind to yourself When making a big change, you may not achieve the results you want overnight. This is true for reducing screen time. You may not be able to completely cut out all of your screen time immediately — reducing it gradually may be a more realistic approach that you are likely to maintain. Your progress also may not be linear. You may not use screens at all on one day, and use screens all day the next. This is perfectly OK. You can always pick yourself up and try again the next day. Takeaway Reducing screen time can positively impact your health. You may rediscover old hobbies, have more time for connecting with friends and family, and have a more positive experience when you are using your devices. It is important to remember that reducing your screen time can be a trial-and-error process, and it could take a long time before you see changes. Try not to feel discouraged if you face setbacks.
SBS Australia
27-05-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
#87 Managing screen time (Med)
This lesson is suitable for intermediate-level learners. After listening, test your knowledge with our quiz. Learning notes Lesson learning objective: Learn how to describe different ways you can manage screen time. Different phrases you can use when talking about time: People are making fun of me online I need some time away from my phone There's so much inappropriate content online They're glued to their phones I need to pull the plug on social media I had to limit screen time We need to set some hard limits I'm losing them to a screen! Driving me crazy is a phrase used to say that something is making you very upset or annoyed. I get it means I understand. Same here means I agree and think the same way. If something is hard to keep track it is hard to follow or pay attention to. To make fun of someone is to tease them in a way thatis not very nice. To be in the same boat as someone is to be in a similar position or situation as someone. To bully someone is to be unkind and aggressive, often to get them to do something for you or to make them feel bad over a period of time. To harass someone is to continue to be unpleasant or aggressive to someone on a regular basis. Cyberbullying is the use of technology or the internet to harass or bully someone. Inappropriate content can be content that is upsetting, disturbing and is generally unsuitable for the audience or viewer. If you want to stress that something is happening continuously and at this very moment , you can use the present continuous (am/is/are + verb + ing) instead of the present simple, as in: Allan: My kids are driving me crazy. we're losing them to a screen. I'm thinking no social media Practise speaking dialogue from this episode: SBS English 27/05/2025 04:00 Transcript: (Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript) SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands, and waterways throughout Australia. Hey everyone, Kate here! Today we are going to be putting down our phones and getting away from the internet for a while. I need some space, that's for sure. We can say we need some time away or some space from something when we need to stop doing it for a while, normally because it has become unhealthy for us. There's so much inappropriate content out there on the internet, not to mention cyberbullying, that is people being very unpleasant or aggressive to other people online. It seems like everyone's talking about screen time these days — how much our kids should have, how much we should have, whether there should be bans for kids…It's one of those hot topics that keeps coming up in conversations between parents, carers, and adults in general. This episode isn't about how to talk to your kids about it — it's about how to join the conversation that's happening all around you. Allan and Claire have got some tips for us. Let's have a listen to how they deal with screen time in their homes. Allan: My kids are driving me crazy. They're glued to their phones all the time. Maybe I need to pull the plug on socials for a while. Claire: I get it. Same here. I had to limit screen time for my kids too. Allan: Yeah, I think it's time we set some boundaries. I feel like we're losing them to a screen. Claire: And it's not just the time they spend on-line—there's so much inappropriate stuff out there. It's scary. Cyberbullying is real. I don't know if I need to monitor everything they do. Allan: I know. And it's hard to keep track of it all. I'm thinking no social media during the week, and only an hour on weekends. Hmm... seems like Allan and Claire think that it is important to set some rules around screen time with their kids. Could you follow? Let's go through it together. Allan said, My kids are driving me crazy. They're glued to their phones all the time. Driving me crazy! If something is driving you crazy it means that something really annoys you, and when it comes to kids – leaving dirty dishes, leaving clothes on the floor, staring at their phones and not paying attention to anything know that these things can really drive us crazy! Seems like Allan's kids keep staring at their phones, so it looks as though they are physically stuck there and are actually glued to them! He continued, Maybe I need to pull the plug on socials for a while. We can say we will pull the plug on something if we want to end it. Like literally pulling the electrical connection – the plug – from the wall. Allan wants to stop his kids using social media for a while which he calls socials for short. That will really drive his kids crazy for sure! Claire replied, I get it. Same here. I had to limit screen time for my kids too. Claires understands – she 'get's it'- and she says 'same here' which means that she agrees and thinks the same way. She's in the same boat as Allan, that is, she is in a similar position to him or is doing the same thing. She's not exactly pulling the plug on her kids' screen time, but she's at least limiting it or cutting it short it, and that's a start Allan responded, I think it's time we set some boundaries. I feel like we're losing them to a screen. Sheesh. It must be tricky raising kids in this generation when everyone is online. Allan even feels he's losing his kids to a screen! We can say we are losing someone to something if they are pre-occupied with it or we feel that it's taking over their life. I can relate to that. I feel like I'm losing my friend to Football because it's the only thing he ever talks about anymore! To stop losing his kids to their phones, Allan is going to set some hard limits on their screen time, that is, he's going to set some limits which he wants to be followed exactly. He does not want to be flexible, and only set soft limits. Claire replied, There's so much inappropriate stuff out there. Cyberbullying is real. Claire's concerned about the inappropriate, or unsuitable, content that her kids are viewing online. And she's also worried about cyberbullying, which is when people harass or bully other people on-line, because it is a big problem for kids online and can be happening without the parents' knowing anything about it. By the way, to bully someone is to be unkind and aggressive, often to get them to do something for you or to make them feel bad over a period of time. Setting hard limits on screen time and pulling the plug on their social media is a good way to prevent losing their kids to their phones, even if it will drive them crazy! Claire also said, I don't know if I need to monitor everything they do. To monitor someone or something means to watch or check regularly to see what is happening. You can monitor a person (for example, a child or a patient) or monitor something (like your screen time or your heart rate). Allan replied, it's hard to keep track of it all. I'm thinking no social media during the week, and only an hour on weekends. Seems his solution was a hard limit of socials during the week, so the kids aren't glued to their phones. He's not pulling the plug entirely though. He's letting them have an hour on the weekends. Allan Also said it's hard to keep track of it all, which is to say, he finds it difficult to follow all the rules and to know what to do about setting limits around his kids' screen time. We say we are keeping track if we are following along, particularly when things are changing. For example, I could say it's hard to keep track of all the work I have to do before I go on holidays, but I am definitely keeping track of what's happening in my favourite TV show. Well, I hope you guys have been keeping track of the dialogue but it's ok if you found it hard, because we can listen to it again! Sign up for previews, updates and to provide feedback. A big thank you to our guest Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire, and Professor Lynda Yates was our educational consultant.
