By Erin C. Echaluse, News & Life Editor
You come home from school and feel so exhausted that you immediately fall on your bed. There are a million things on your plate, but you think, “Let me just watch some Tiktoks for a bit. It will only be five minutes.” But five minutes turns into ten, twenty, thirty, until two hours have gone by! You feel guilty about the amount of time you wasted but the cycle incessantly goes on every day.
For many high school students, this is a feeling that is all too familiar especially with the rise of social media usage. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) (Screen Time and Children), the average time a teen spends on their phone is around seven and one half hours.
Photo taken from CNN.
Although our devices can help us learn about the world around us and connect with others, too much usage can impact your physical and mental health. It is extremely important that one has a healthy relationship with their devices.
Here are five ways that you can lessen your screen time and combat doomscrolling:
- Start small.
Don’t create a broad goal such as “I will completely stop being on my phone,” because that will make you more likely to go back to that habit. Gradually work your way up. For example, if your screen time is seven hours, start with “I will only be on my phone for six hours and a half.” Then “I will be on my phone for six hours.” And so on until you reach your desired big goal.
- Find an accountability partner.
Ask a parent or friend to help you keep track of your habit. (It especially works best if your partner is also committed to their goal). Each week encourage and check in with each other on your progress. If they live with you, ask them to hide your phone in a secret spot. Let them give it back to you once you’ve finished your tasks.
- Create a money jar.
Set a limit on how long you can use whatever distractions (social media, gaming, etc) on your phone. And while you do that, also set aside a jar. Whenever you go over the limit, put fifty cents inside the jar. By the end of each month, empty out the jar and donate the savings inside either to family or an organization that you’re passionate about.
- Make it a game.
Give yourself a set number of “points” that you want to earn (ex: 50). Each time you take an action relating to your goal or reach a milestone give yourself 1 point. When you reach your point goal, treat yourself to a reward (ex: ice cream, movie night, etc).
- Create a dopamine menu.
Instead invest your time doing new hobbies. This project is pretty popular on social media. With paper and art supplies, create a “menu” of activities that you can do while off your phone. You can create different sections—appetizers are five-minute activities, the main course can be the full-on hobby, and desserts can be treating yourself to some self-care. If you would like to include a special item, make that an experience involving going out (ex: eating out with friends, going to the mall, etc). If you don’t have any it is always a good time for discovery—find out what you are passionate about. When finding new hobbies it’s a good idea to look at what you were interested in as a kid.
Photos taken from Cosmopolitan magazine and Pinterest.
If you’re having a hard time that’s perfectly normal because it takes time to change a habit. What matters is that you’re trying your best to better improve yourself and your lifestyle. Good luck!
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