In the modern-day times almost everyone, from kids to adults spends a lot of their time on screens. According to the Common-Sense Census, there are four types of screen time namely; passive consumption, interactive consumption, communication and content creation.
Content creation
People, especially the teens use devices to make various forms of media such as images, videos and articles with intention of sharing experiences or ideas to a target audience. Some people do it for fun and some are making a living out of it.
Passive consumption.
Passive consumption is the absorption of information without actively engaging with it. This involves scrolling through your feeds, listening to music, watching Television and reading. All you do is sit down and watch and you will be physically inactive for as long as you will be in front of the screen.
Interactive consumption.
Interactive consumption is when people engage with the information or content that they are consuming. Examples include playing video games and quizzes.
Communication.
We also spend a lot of time on screens communicating in various ways such as video chatting, messaging and on social media. You can spend a lot of time on video calls with friends and family. We can share our exciting moments and comment and chat as well on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
If we check it properly, we do all of the above everyday of our lives and that means spending quit a lot of time on screen. It is like most people can only discipline themselves only at work for the sake of preserving their jobs. Once they are out of their workplace they get stuck on screens even when driving. We could say nowadays parents are using screens to keep their kids busy while they are busy too on the screens.
Effects of too much screen time.
- Technology addiction
- Risk of depression
- Risk of cyberbullying
- Exposure to harmful content for kids
- Difficulties in focusing and being present
- Lack of physical activity
- Sleep deprivation
Tips on managing screen time.
- Turn off unnecessary notifications on your phone like Facebook notifications on who has liked your photo or who has uploaded anew photo.
- Try to focus on one thong at a time to be more productive with your time.
- Try doing something else when you need a distraction or when you are bored. Instead of watching a video because you ae bored, go for a walk or hit the gym.
- Give yourself a timetable on when to use your gadgets and stick to it.
- Avoid using or keep your phone on silent when you are having meals and when you around other people. This will limit your screen time.
- Don’t follow everybody on social media. Choose what only benefits you and keeps you motivated and positive.
Conclusion.
Proper screen time management can help you stay physically, emotionally, mentally and socially healthy and balanced.