Due to COVID-19, many professionals found themselves working from home for the first time. As a result, they may be spending more of their days sitting in front of screens. In an office, meetings, quick chats, and commutes move you away from your devices. When those activities are handled remotely, it means more time in front of a screen instead.
Luckily, it is possible to get your screen time under control even if you work from home. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are some helpful tips.
Track All of Your Screen Time
Before you can make any meaningful adjustments, you need to get a grip on how much time you’re actually spending in front of a screen every day. Along with logging your work-related screen-based activity, you also need to track your personal screen use. This includes over any device, including computers, smartphones, televisions, and more.
Note how much time you spend in front of a screen and what you were doing at the time. This helps you identify your current screen use, making it easier to identify opportunities to cut back.
Look for Off-Screen Alternatives
Once you know what screen-based activities you’re doing each day, scan the list for tasks that can potentially be done another way. For example, you may discover that a meeting could be a phone call instead, allowing you to shift your eyes elsewhere or even participate while taking a quick walk around your neighborhood. Similarly, some online resources are available in print, letting you turn to paper instead of a screen.
The purpose of this review is to identify logical points where cutting back on screen time would be natural. That way, the transition is seamless but effective.
Consider Fulfillment
While taking many of your work tasks offline might not be an option, you do have some control over screen use during your off-hours. If your goal is to cut back, consider which of your personal activities that require digital devices are genuinely fulfilling and which ones are just ways to pass the time.
For fulfilling activities – like video chatting with loved ones or playing a game with friends – consider keeping that screen time in place. For anything that is only a time killer and isn’t bringing you joy, try to find a replacement activity that doesn’t involve screens.
Have a Device-Free Day (or Half-Day) Every Week
If getting away from your screen on workdays seems impossible, consider taking one of your days off each week to go device-free. It can give you an extended break, for one. For another, it might let you take part in other activities with the constant distraction of notifications.
If you can’t go an entire day, try having a device-free half-day instead. You could also have device-free evenings every day of the week, where you shut off every screen starting at a particular hour and don’t turn them on until morning.
Ultimately, it is possible to get your screen time under control. Use the tips above as a starting point, seizing every opportunity to live and work without a device in front of your eyes.
If you’d like to learn more, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us today.
