Unplug Yourself — How to Lessen Our Dependence on Screens
Connectivity is essential in our daily lives, but sometimes staying “connected” takes over. Screen addictions affect people of all ages - children and adults alike - and affect our social, emotional, and pyschological wellness.*
If you’re anything like me and my family, screens are slowly taking over. I find myself "collecting” screens at the end of the day - from iPads and iPhones to laptops, gaming devices, and remote controls - to limit our family’s exposure to screens. It’s non-stop, and I see the affects too much screen time has on my children. In fact, during the weeks when screen time is highest, I also found a direct correlation to behavioral issues (bratty and/or disrespectful language; efforts to sound like well-known gamers, YouTube personalities, and TicTok users; and problems sleeping).
But while screen time is often talked about in relation to children, it also affects adults, too.
Having had more screen time than ever during the COVID pandemic, adults began to feel the effects of too much ‘Tube. A recent study complete on US Adults supported the conclusion that increases in screen time lead to worsening depression, loneliness, and stress. Screens also negatively affect a person’s ability to maintain positive mental health.
The good news is that we can control the amount of time we sit in front of a screen. While life and career might demand you stay connected, you have the ability to choose when that connection happens and when you just shut off - even if only for a brief time - to connect to the people around you instead.
Here are a few suggestions for how you might consider detoxing from screens. Try to do one each day, adding in each challenge until you complete the week. In 7 days, these easy-to-follow and, even better, easy-to-adopt changes will make your screen time more deliberate (instead of just your default.)
Your 7 Day Screen Detox - The UnPlugged Challenge
Additional References:
*Twenge, J.M., Farley, E. Not all screen time is created equal: associations with mental health vary by activity and gender. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 56, 207–217 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01906-9
Have you tried this UnPlugged Detox? Share your experience! What worked for you?