Mindful Screen Time: What Is It And How To Apply It?
How many hours a day do we spend in front of screens? In general terms, we can affirm that the majority of the population has a screen in front of them – phone, tablet, computer or television – during most of their waking hours.
While it is true that many people use so many screens out of necessity (work, studies, etc.), on many occasions this resource is also used as a distraction. It seems that it is increasingly difficult to sustain feeling bored and we constantly need stimulation.
On many occasions, we turn to screens automatically. Does this have a solution? In this article we introduce the concept mindful screen time. We will explain what it is, where it comes from and what its benefits are. Finally, we will also offer some useful strategies to start applying mindful screen time.
The concept mindful screen time refers to the conscious and deliberate use of digital devices. It is proposed as an alternative to their automatic or impulsive use. As its name indicates, it is based on mindfulness and the idea of full attention that it proposes applied to the use of technologies and devices. Some of the main characteristics of this approach are mentioned below:
As we mentioned before, except for sleeping hours, we spend a large part of the day in the digital world and surrounded by screens. This situation, far from being reversed, seems to be getting worse and worse despite the fact that, at a social level, we are increasingly aware and there is more evidence about the possible repercussions of the abuse of screens.
Where does the proposal of mindful screen time come from? Precisely because it seems that we miss more and more real moments due to being immersed in the networks, we increasingly access them more automatically and without control. In addition, more and worse consequences are being observed in development.
While it is true that the digital world has brought great advances and many benefits, it is undeniable that the abuse that is generally committed today has serious consequences. Therefore, it is considered that making conscious and responsible use of digital content consumption is essential. Below are some of the main benefits provided by mindful screen time:
Strategies to apply mindful screen time
Just as with any other new practice that someone is going to start, it is important to keep in mind that it is a process. That is, it will be necessary to have patience, be constant and continue practicing to be able to integrate the changes until they are perceived as something natural. Mindfulness is a practice that focuses on full attention, in the present moment. Training our brain, which tends to jump back and forth in time, to stay in the present can be highly challenging for some people.
Since mindful screen time derives from mindfulness, the same can happen with this practice. However, seeing the amount of benefits it can provide, it is interesting to give it a chance to improve our quality of life. In this specific case, it can be especially complex since it is most likely that our environment also makes excessive use of screens. Perhaps we may receive comments of misunderstanding or minimizing the risks and, therefore, it is important that each person acts in accordance with what they consider most appropriate for themselves. Below are some tools that may be useful to get started in the practice of mindful screen time.
It is essential that each person can reflect on their use of digital devices, social networks, screens, etc. It is important to identify if the use that is being made represents a problem in any of the areas of the person’s life. Furthermore, this reflection and awareness is essential in the case of having minors in charge.
2. Limit screen time
When you have defined what type of use is made of the devices and what content is consumed, it is interesting to be able to start establishing time limits. In this sense, there are some applications that count time and can send warnings or directly block access to the application.
3. Incorporate breaks in the use of screens
If we have no choice but to spend a lot of time in front of screens and electronic devices for whatever reasons (work, studies, etc.), it is necessary to take breaks from time to time. You can take advantage of these breaks to rest your eyes, stretch your muscles and do other activities.
4. Promote spaces without screens
When we disconnect from certain social networks or certain responsibilities, unpleasant emotions and thoughts may appear. These, in addition, are usually accompanied by unpleasant physical sensations. In this case, it is interesting to be able to give our body pleasant alternatives to make the transition more bearable.
5. Ask for professional help
If your use of screens causes you any type of physical or emotional discomfort, remember that you can ask for professional help. It is not always easy to implement certain changes and having support appropriate to personal needs can be of great help.
