Research shows that while creative, focused technology use has an overall positive effect, excessive unproductive use can have negative mental and socio-emotional implications for young people and adults.
It can contribute to reduced mental wellbeing, and sleep disturbances. Ensuring our screen time is useful and not excessive is important for adults and for children.
Digital detoxes are often posed as the answer to managing screen time. However, their underlying assumption that "all technology use is the same" is not a sustainable management approach.
A one-size-fits-all recommended number of screen hours also does not work. Even professional screen time recommendations for children acknowledge that placing a number on recommended hours is too difficult because of our varied technology needs and lifestyles.
Solution: Cutting 'zombie' screen use
Data from the UK suggests the average person checks his or her phone every 12 minutes. The key to effective screen time management is to weed out uses that do not have a positive impact on your life, such as zombie scrolling.
The recent release of new screen time management tools available on our devices and social media platforms can help with this.
Apple recently introduced Screen Time to its new operating system. This is a new section of the settings menu which creates detailed daily and weekly activity reports. It shows the total time a person spends in each app they use, their usage across categories of apps, how many notifications they receive and how often they pick up their iPhone or iPad.
Google's new Digital Wellbeing dashboard for Android users has a similar design.
New features on YouTube tell you how long you've watched videos.
Facebook and Instagram are also in the introductory phase of a similar range of settings.
Step by step approach
These screen management features can help us understand and modify our technology habits. With data we may be able to see and identify our own usage "red flags" (problematic areas), and move towards better self-regulation to kick zombie screen time habits.
The following stepped plan offers a way to apply new screentime features.
Step 1: Map your use
Use the screentime features to examine how you use technology.
Identify the aspect of your zombie use you want to change. This may be, for example, reducing the time you spend on a particular social media platform, or watching YouTube or reducing how many times a day you pick up your phone.
Step 2: Identify your triggers
Identify what triggers the aspect of technology use you want to change.
For example, if you want to reduce how many times a day that you pick up your phone then look for the time of day you have most pick-ups, or if there are particular days in the week where your pick up tends to be higher.
Step 3: Make a plan
Use this information to develop a plan.
Planning ahead may include setting specific times when you will or won't use your device in particular ways. It may involve making sure you have other options to avoid boredom, such as having a book with you when you're travelling or waiting for family members.
A plan facilitates goal attainment and increases self-control. Try the plan for one day.
Step 4: Reflect on your plan
After one day or week of using the plan, ask yourself key questions: Did you accomplish your plan? Under what conditions did your plan work best? Were you distracted from your plan? Do you need to adjust it?
You can use the new activity monitoring tools to review and revise your plan, and to assist you in achieving your goals. Parents and childrenScreentime management is best approached in small steps.
Explain zombie technology use to your child, and team with your child to develop a plan and use these screentime features. While you may have different plans, doing it together is very supportive.
• Joanne Orlando, Researcher: Technology and Learning, Western Sydney University
- This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
