Everyone know that we should be spending less time on a screen. Everyone knows that it has side affects. But not everyone can keep away from a screen.
In the last few years I went through the process of changing careers in to “IT” as a software developer. And now in this work from home Covid-19 world would mean all my working time is in front of a screen. That’s expected, it’s work, but what about my spare time. Yes, I now have spare time.
How do I reduce the amount of time I spend on a screen. Once a week I try to pick one day that will be screen free. Not technology free and that’s an important caveat. As it’s nearly impossible to avoid screens completely reducing the exposure will have to do.
What do I do on these none screen days? Lets go through the evening after work finishes at 5pm. I might have a cup of tea before going for a walk. On this walk I will listen to podcasts. Yes, I do use my phone which has a screen to play the podcasts but it spends more time in my pocket. Remember it’s about reducing screen time. And the podcast are imported when I get to the end of my point to point walk. I seat and watch the world go by for a while. This maybe 15, 20 minutes and the podcast wiht help not getting broad justt seating.
By the time I get back to the house its coming up on 7pm. Which means its time to start making the dinner. Once again I may put on the podcast or music but not music videos. Bluetooth headphones help with this as they allow the phone to be left in a different room.
Now it’s 8, dinner has been had and the chats about each others day is done. This is the hardest time. What do you do to fill the gap. In this hour it would be so easy sit down and put on Netflix, some E sport, some screen.
Do something, do any thing, do the recycling, check your camping gear for the up coming trip, shred the snail mail that comes to the house. But do something! I have found in 8 to 9 time, if your not achieve you will just end up watching cat videos for 5 hours while thinking the whole time I should not be doing this.
Hopefully it’s 9 or after at this stage. It’s easier now, the day is nearly over and I have made it this far. This time is an odd time for me. I might read a book for a while, which reminds me I need to get some more. On this none screen day I am writing this blog post. Yes, I know I wrote on actually paper first in an actually hard back journal. But most of the time it’s my thinking time. In the hall, up stairs there is white broad. I stand, I pace, I talk out loud to my self. The aim is to come up with ideas, The ideas are 99% of the time bad but how else are you going to have a good idea.
My neighbours must think it’s strange to see me pacing back and forth in thehall window. But I can’t see them so I don’t care. It’s is a very tiring thing trying to come up with ideas. Which is good as now its time for bed.
For most of the evening there was no screen time which is good.
On a final note I won’t answer chat messages, won’t even look at them but will answer phone calls. If something is important enough, people will call.
Any way I hope this helps to reduce the burden of that screen curse.
