Keep a track of screen time

Overuse of technology and excessive screen time can be detrimental to physical and mental health, so here are seven ways to reduce screen time.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we stay connected with friends, family and colleagues, as we have been kept physically apart.

The experts at CE Safety have researched and revealed seven easy to action tips to help reduce screen time and improve Brits wellbeing.

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They recommend undergoing small but effective day to day changes such as taking fewer pictures, switching electronics to grayscale, and having tech-free zones around the house like the bathroom.

Research has shown that low levels of happiness are associated with increased smartphone usage, and social media can contribute to feelings of loneliness.

Excessive technology and smartphone usage also negatively impacts sleep. With heightened anxiety and stress due to the coronavirus and lockdown, additional screen time will not help.

A spokesman for CE Safety says: “Technology does solve many problems and can help with communicating with people. There is also an endless amount of information at our fingertips.

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“But it can be distracting, time-consuming and addictive. Nomophobia is a real term to describe a growing fear in today’s world - the fear of being without a mobile device, or beyond mobile phone contact.”

* There are a few locations around the house that mobiles and laptops aren’t needed. From the dining room to the bathroom, try to keep your phone in your pocket.

* Laptops and smartphones allow you to turn your screen or display grey. As a result, this will remove all the attractive, eye-catching colours from your screen. Not only is it better for your eyesight but the visual appeal is also lost.

* Taking pictures with your smartphone has become second-nature. But in an effort to reduce your screen time, try not to take as many photos and cherish the moment for what it is, rather than turning to a smartphone at the first opportunity.

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* Ignorance is bliss, but track the time you spend staring at screens each day. There are plenty of tools and apps that will do this. iPhones track screen time automatically state how many minutes spent on each app.

* Try to watch TV or films from your living room rather than in your bed. Watching from your couch makes it easier to stop watching that next episode on Netflix. You want as little blue light as possible before going to bed.

* Don’t charge your phone next to your bed as it might tempt you to check for messages. Looking at your phone’s screen just before bed has been shown to disrupt sleep patterns.

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