5 Smart Strategies To Reduce Your Screen Time Today

We’re all dependent on our screens. Sadly, we are even more dependent now as we look to the digital world to keep us connected during the pandemic. It’s wonderful that we have technology to keep us connected, to keep us working remotely, and to keep things somewhat functioning as our world has temporarily shut down this year. But, too much screen time can increase your risk of anxiety, depression, insomnia, weight gain, and other health concerns. So, as we want to help keep you and your loved ones healthy and happy, we have some easy and effective ways to slash your screen time dependency ASAP!

Move Your Social Media Apps Away From Your Home Screen

You know the saying, “out of sight, out of mind?” Well, help yourself consume less screen time by rearranging where your social media apps live on your phone (or any other app that has you totally hooked!). In fact, put these apps into a folder labeled “Social Media” and put this folder on the very last page of your phone, so that you have to scroll a few times and open a folder just to begin using the application. When the tempting apps are one of the first things we see when we open our phones', it can be extremely hard to resist the urge to use them. So, do a little home screen cleaning on your phone, to set yourself up for success. 

Use Apps To Limit Your Social Media Time 

Yes! There are now apps to help you cut back on using other apps! 

Forest- is an app that helps you limit your social media use by allowing you to set an amount of time in which you commit to not using your phone. During the time you set aside to not use your phone, a plant (digital, of course) will grow in the app. If you break the commitment and use your phone, Forest will send you an application telling you to get off your phone or the plant will die. We LOVE plants here at Chef Soraya, (even digital ones) so we think this app could be super helpful in reducing screen time. 

Dedicate 1 Hour a Day To Focus On a Non-Screen Hobby

Think about when you were a kid. What did you love to do for fun? We often lose touch with our fun, curious kid-side of ourselves as we grow older but life is too short not to have fun! Whether it’s picking up an old hobby (like an instrument), or a new hobby like cooking, sewing, learning a new language, or reading some fiction books, it’s important to find ways to entertain ourselves without relying on a screen.

Have Phone-Free Meals 

Ever heard of mindless eating? Well, most of us do it daily. We eat distracted on our phones, computers or other electronic devices without even realizing it. Of course, as a brand who is all about convenience, we understand that not everyone has the time to sit and eat a meal, fully present, and not distracted. This is why we challenge you to try to at least have a screen free dinner. Talk with your family members, or be fully present and mindful as you eat your delicious meal. This will force you to slow down, and reconnect with yourself, those around you, and the nutritious food on your plate. 

Leave Your Phone Outside Your Bedroom When You Sleep 

Our screens illuminate our lives most of our waking hours . . . we don’t need them to illuminate our sleep too. In fact, a huge reason more and more individuals are struggling to obtain quality sleep is because of the bright blue light from our devices. Blue light is the light that signals our body to be awake and alert but it naturally goes away when the sun goes down, which tells our body it’s time to rest. This is why many people wear blue light blocking glasses at night, to reduce their blue light exposure after dark. So, the first step is to invest in a pair of blue light blocking glasses and then try to leave your phone out of your bedroom when you sleep, as not to have the light ruin your sleep if you get a text or notification when you are sleeping. Again -- out of sight, out of mind!

Break The Habit Now

Like any habit that someone is trying to break, it takes a little work but it's always doable! In the modern world, it's incredibly hard to not have any screen time, so cutting out our devices is not really a solution. However, like anything in life, there is a balance to be found. So, we hope these strategies help you find that balance between screen time and off-screen time. We encourage you to share the blog with friends and family, and those with little ones too!