Summer is here and to be quite honest I’ve been filled with a lot of anxiety so far this summer. And that’s the WORST! There’s so much I need to do, so much I want to do, work to be done, fun to be had and sometimes I get so overwhelmed I just don’t do anything at all. Or I do the worst thing, I just sit and look at my phone. Who wants to spend their summer scrolling instagram? I know I don’t!
So lately I’ve been trying to limit my screen time. I want to truly be intentional about my screen time this summer. I still give myself opportunities to scroll and look at my phone but in down time, I try to put it up and do something more productive. That way tasks and to-do lists don’t get too out of control. Your days will become more productive because you’re free from distractions. And when your days are more productive and something fun comes up, I don’t feel as guilty going and doing because it’s not getting me behind on work, life, chores, whatever. (I even did a similar post on this back in the fall – it’s obviously something I’m working on haha! But you can see more of my tips here!)
Lately I’ve felt like a jumbled mess just because so much has been going on, and when I feel like that a lot of times I’ll just use my phone as a distraction from all the things I’m behind on, or I use it just to simply not think for a little bit. But when you take a step back and look at what filling your time scrolling through facebook or instagram is doing to you and for you, it can quickly be nice little reality check.
Tips For Staying Off Your Phone This Summer
- Sleep with your phone in a different room – If you don’t start your day first thing on your phone, I’ve found that I reach for it less throughout the day.
- Put a summer background on your phone – Somewhere you’d rather be. It motivates me to spend less mindless screen time and get stuff done so I can get to the pool/lake/mountains/river/beach.
- Allow yourself time TO look at your phone – Don’t deprive yourself! Still look at things you enjoy, just limit yourself! I have a few instances where I’m free to just scroll away. Get somewhere 10 mins early- yay phone time! Waiting in line at Starbucks? Phone time. Waiting on hold? Phone time. On your lunch break? Phone time!
- Give yourself non-phone time hours too – Out to dinner? Don’t even bring it in. Spending quality time with your S.O.? put it up. Working time, try to keep it out of sight as much as possible to eliminate work distractions. Sometimes when I’m home cleaning or doing laundry I’ll put a podcast on and put it in my pocket so that I’m entertained by the phone, but I’m less likely to “take a break” and mindlessly scroll for 30 mins instead of folding laundry – ha!
- Airplane mode – Sometimes I’ll even put my phone on airplane mode or DND when working or trying to complete a task so that I’m not distracted and pulled into the rabbit hole. Get the task done and then check the phone.
Cutting back on your screen time takes just as much, if not more, discipline as working out every morning. It’s tough. It’s annoying. But it’s SO good for you! I have already been working on this and it’s made such a huge difference in my productivity. If I can get tasks done in half the time because I don’t have my phone out. Think about all that time it can save up for a fun, stress free weekend!?! My goal is to have lots of fun summer evening and weekend activities that are stress free and phone free! If you have any cutting back your screen time tips let me know!
