Digital Media Use to remain in touch with the people in our lives can be entertaining. However, the more time we spend on digital media, the less time we probably have for engaging in in-person activities, spending time with friends and family, and focusing on our jobs or studies. It’s important to develop good digital media habits that balance time spent online with in-person contacts and constructive hobbies because excessive digital media use can have detrimental impacts on our physical and mental health.
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How Do I Know If I Need Digital Media Balance?
Everyone uses digital media in a different way depending on their unique situation when it comes to health. Digital media could be essential to your work if you need to stay in touch with colleagues for a project at school or to keep up professional relationships. You could be interested in staying in touch with distant family members or participate in online community groups.
Although digital media can be useful in our lives in various ways, using it while working or attending class might impair performance. Furthermore, using digital media when out with friends or at the family dinner table can be detrimental to our relationships. If you frequently check digital media when you shouldn’t, consider the following: Perhaps it’s time to think about taking a more sensible tack.
Addiction to digital media is not considered a true addiction, unlike drug use disorders. People do, however, report having symptoms that are akin to those of an addiction, such as the need to use or check digital media continuously and feeling uneasy or anxious when they are unable to do so.
It’s a good idea to monitor how often you use digital media and note how using it makes you feel, especially if you’re experiencing any discomfort or worry around using it or if you believe your use is worsening your mental health. It’s time to start restricting your use of digital media if you find that being away from your phone makes you anxious.
Tips For Finding Digital Media Balance
After you’ve made the decision to develop positive digital media habits, setting realistic objectives and using tools to keep you on track are excellent places to start.
These are some recommendations to help create digital media routines that are healthful.
1-Set Time Limits Or Schedule Digital Media Time Allowances
Strive to determine—and then adhere to—the amount of time you believe is appropriate to spend on digital media. One possible solution would be to check digital media once a day, but not right before bed. Another useful tool to help you remember to stay within your healthy boundaries is a timer. There are options on many smartphones that allow you to receive alerts when your screen time is getting close to or above certain restrictions.
2-Safeguard Your Sleep
Stimulation and stress resulting from scrolling and posting can interfere with falling asleep and staying asleep. Avoiding digital media in the evening can help you wind down and feel calm. Staying off screens at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed can eliminate exposure to blue light that can disrupt the natural sleep cycle.
3-Put The Phone Away When You’re Spending Time Others
When you have in-person interactions, try putting your phone away to be fully present. The dopamine rewards you experience from engaging in genuine connection with others may feel more fulfilling than potentially superficial rewards you attain from scrolling through your digital media feeds.
4-Turn Off Digital Media Alerts On Your Devices
A constant stream of digital media alerts can be difficult to ignore. You might try turning off alerts so that you’re not tempted to check digital media outside of your “scheduled” time each day.
5-Remind Yourself Of The Realities — And Unrealities — Of Digital Media
Try making a conscious effort to remember that digital media is not an accurate reflection of the complexity of most people’s lives. Digital media can be a great way to connect with others, but comparisons can be unrealistic and lead to negative feelings.
6-Make An Effort To Have In-Person Interactions
Face-to-face interactions can be uplifting and keep us from feeling isolated. Try to focus on “in person” friends and loved ones. You might also consider volunteering for an important project or joining a group with interests to get out in the world.
How To Limit Digital Media Use
Use an app tracker to track the amount of time you’re spending on digital media apps. Some apps have built-in timers that can help you track your time and set reminders to exit the app.
1-Switch your phone to grayscale.
Phone apps are designed to be stimulating and fun. An easy, quick switch that you can do on your phone during times you would like to stay off it is to grayscale your phone.
Delete digital media applications from your phone; this will make the apps less accessible to you all the time. If you don’t want to delete them altogether, putting them into a folder or off of your main home screen helps to decrease the time spent on them.
2-Turn off push notifications.
Notifications are designed to get us to check apps, which increases the likelihood that we start scrolling. Turning them off can help you stay off apps.
3-Set up “No Phone Zones” in your space.
Make rules based on the use you’re trying to cut down. For example, no checking your phone in bed at night or first thing in the morning, or no phones at the dinner table.
How to Spend Your Time Differently
Start small. Starting with a goal of decreasing digital media usage by 30 minutes a week will give you 30 more minutes every week to do things that are good for your mind and body.
1-Prioritize face-to-face connections
Any time you choose to spend time talking to a friend or family member face-to-face over scrolling through digital media is a step in the right direction.
2-Stay informed
If you typically get your news from digital media, expand your media diet by subscribing to trustworthy publications or watching TV news.
3-Exercise
Walking, running, swimming, or even stretching are great ways to stay active and spend time away from screens.and keep your mental health active.
4-Get outside
Get fresh air and stay off your phone with a picnic in the park, a nature hike, a day at the beach, or even just a walk around the block.
5-Find your creative side
Explore ways of expressing yourself like journaling, creative writing, painting, singing, and dancing.
Conclusion
Once you have a comfortable balance with digital media, you can combine your hobbies with your digital media use. For example, if you work out with a screen by following workout videos, turn off push notifications. If you take a hike with friends, take photos to share your memories. If you see a new dance making the rounds on digital media, give it a try yourself!
Finding balance between digital media use and activities like these will help you take care of your mental health and set you up to maintain healthier habits for online interactions in the long term.
FAQs:
How do I know if I need to balance my digital media usage?
It is critical to evaluate your digital media use and how it affects your life. If you are compulsively checking digital media, feeling anxious when you can’t check your accounts, or it’s taking away from your relationships or productivity, it might be time to reevaluate.
Is digital media addictive?
While the addiction to digital media is not a true addiction as would be classified as substance use disorders, many people know they experience compulsions to check or use digital media, and may experience discomfort or anxiety when unable to access digital media sites.
What are some tips to find balance with digital media?
Developing healthy digital media habits are those set up with realistic goals, either by limitations of screen time or scheduled time to take breaks from digital media. Also, maintaining face-to-face communication, protecting your sleep by avoiding screens before bedtime, and being aware of the realities versus the unrealities of digital media are other ways to achieve a healthy balance.