Andrea Graham, co-director of the Center for Behavioral Intervention at Northwestern Universitysays talks about how important it is for young people to cut back on screen time on phones and social media.
For this, she suggests 5 effective steps to carry it out:
Here are some ideas to try:
1. Curate your social media feed to limit content that makes you feel bad.
So, it’s up to the user to push back. “Be incredibly mindful, as you scroll, of how each creator, each image, each account makes you feel,” Kite says. If a post or story makes you feel uncomfortable or less-than, make a choice to mute or unfollow. “That’s what I do,” Kite says. “You are the only one who can curate your feed.”
2. Schedule a one-day break from devices each week
Artist and film-maker Tiffany Shlain says there’s a power to unplugging one day a week. She turns off her devices from her every Friday evening, and takes a 24-hour break, that she now refers to as “Tech Shabbat.” She and her family from her started this tradition 13 years ago when her children were young.
3. Turn off notifications and set limits on use of social media apps
If your intention is to limit social media to an hour a day, start by tracking your time on each app. The iPhone has a screen time tracker that lets you know how much time you spend on apps and websites, as well as how often you pick up your device.
“Smartphones allow you to set limits for individual apps to help with managing use,” Thai says.
4. Use the time you were giving to social media to invest in real-life activities instead
This may sound obvious, but seeing your friends on social media is not the same as spending time with them. So, make some plans to connect with friends in real life. The same goes for self-care.
5. Connect with people who share your interests and values
The world is filled with interesting people doing remarkable things. Social media can be a more positive place for teens or adults when you connect with people who share your interests and post inspiring ideas or stories. Kite says she unfollows people who make her feel uncomfortable, “and I replace them with activists.”
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