I Screen, You Screen, We All Screen: Take a Summer Break from Your Devices

There are all kinds of screens associated with summer: sunscreen, drive-in movie screens, and screened-in porches.

Unlike these, the screens of our smartphones, tablets, and laptops are on our minds and in front of our faces year-round. No matter the season, many of us feel that we spend too much time with our devices.

Studies have found potentially concerning effects resulting from too much screen time. One study showing an increase in anxiety and depression for young people who use social media for 3+ hours a day has prompted the U.S. Surgeon General to call for social media warning labels like those found on cigarettes. This fall, some schools are planning to become phone-free zones in an effort to aid mental health, avoid distractions, and encourage interpersonal skills for students.

It has been found that when parents model good screentime habits, their families follow their example. So, how can we sever ourselves from our smartphones? Should we sell all our worldly possessions and move to a secluded cabin in the woods? Fortunately, there are some more moderate steps we can take.

Both Apple and Android smartphones have screentime limits that can be set for specific apps. If I set a 30-minute limit for Facebook, once I use that app for the allotted time, it will shut off for the day. Monitoring how much certain apps are used by looking in a smartphone’s settings area can also be useful. Some phones have other well-being settings to help balance phone use.

Managing notifications may also help. These little red dots that appear on our apps are designed to get our attention. Do I need notifications to encourage me to use an app more? I check some apps so frequently that I am confident I won’t miss anything important, especially when notifications seem to be getting more irrelevant. No, I don’t need to be notified when a high school classmate tells their grandma happy birthday. Most devices have options for turning off or limiting app notifications. Our mailboxes don’t have notifications on them, and yet it isn’t hard to remember to check them each day. Maybe some apps deserve the same treatment.

The display of smartphones is bright and colorful; this is another way they draw us in. There are display features that remove all the color from your device using a grayscale option. Having a black-and-white display may keep your eyes from gravitating toward it as much, and it can increase battery life. Some companies make minimalist smartphones that use mostly black and white monochromatic displays to help reduce screen time.

Another option is to create a family media plan, like those available from the American Academy of Pediatrics. You can set expectations, such as deciding on “phone-free zones,” like in the car or at the dinner table, and creating screentime goals for each family member.

I hope your summer is filled with screens other than the one on your smartphone.

Brad Smith
Digital Innovation Department