Finding a balance between work from home screen time and health

With the progress technology has made, the question also arises if it has made us disconnected with real life? The industry has been growing tremendously and after the world-wide pandemic, it definitely took the front seat. Every person has been engaged in doing work from home ever since COVID-19 happened.

But with such increased screen time, what happens to our health if there’s no balance? Well, we have been staring at our laptops, and smartphones for more than two years and we need the internet, technology now more than ever but, we also need to take care of our health. Our office lives inside your laptop, our social life in our phone, mails in both and we even look at our screens to check the time or watch something because who watches TV these days, right? Well, this kind of screen time could result in fatal conditions as it takes a toll on our bodies and minds. We’re straining our eyes, hurting our necks and backs, adapting a bad sleeping schedule and feeling anxious and depressed.

So, how can you balance your screen time and health? Well, here are some ways.

Find out how much time you spend online

Before you take a step, analyze the problem so you know how to take a calculated step. So, before setting up timings, check how much time you allot to applications in your smartphones. Measuring screen time is easy because most devices have built-in features that do the job for you—iOS has Screen Time, Samsung devices have Digital Wellbeing. You can even find software applications that can help you in managing and measuring your screen timing like Smarter Time, Rescue Time and SaveMyTime, as they help you in tracking time and helping you to take control of it.  

Balance between screen time and low technology

Remember when we used to go out to buy literally everything needed for our household? There were no software applications, no Amazon or Big Basket to help us. As grateful we are to the technology, we should also learn to not to use it for everything. Try doing at least some things the old-fashioned way. Use pen and paper to doodle or to make lists, notes and why not call someone instead of texting them, right? Pick something up at the store instead of ordering it online or buy something to eat from cafes instead of ordering it. You can read a printed book instead of an e-book for the smell of books hit different, don’t they? Use technology when needed but also start to look around and enjoy the ordinary things of life by doing it in person.

Get rid of distracting apps on your phone

You pick up you phone to check Instagram to take a break and before you know it, you have spent hours on it watching unnecessary videos. This is how addictive social media is and it has started to control us instead of connecting us. All these applications do connect us but also, increase your anxiety, waste time and offer a toxic culture. Why not make it easier on yourself to not use them by removing them completely? Take a little break from the toxicity and make ways for a change. You don’t need to deactivate your accounts, just temporarily uninstall them. 

Take breaks from sessions

With so much work from home, the screen time also increases and that affects the whole functioning of our body. After each deep work session, take a break. Make sure to look away from screens during this time to give your eyes a rest. Breaks are also a great opportunity to move your body and counter the effects of prolonged sitting. So, next time you are working remember to take a break. There are also exercises that you can easily do while you sit.

Set no-screen times

When you are not working or you realise you have been using social media too much, go ahead and try to engage yourself into something else. You can try some self-care activities to perform for example, If you like to paint, then paint and if you like to take walks, go to the park and walk for a while. Consider leaving your digital devices on during business hours only. If that’s too extreme for you, set a cut-off time beyond which you will not look at screens. Setting no-screen hours can be highly effective and is also very essential. 

These days, the usage of internet has increased our screen time a lot and is causing us to not take care of ourselves. It makes us overwhelmed and sometimes even leads to a burnout.

It is never too late to mindfully balance screen time, work from home and our health. Try these tips and don’t forget to take care of yourself. 

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