Excessive screen time is one of the downsides of technology. Recent studies show that Americans spend an average phone screen time of 7 hours – that’s almost a third of each day. The rising concern on this matter has given rise to multiple screen time management solutions. This encompasses everything from setting personal boundaries to using third-party mobile trackers to manage screen time.

Why Curb Your Screen Time?

Technology has helped boost productivity, and that’s true. Immediate access to all sorts of information, and automation of tedious tasks – these advantages of technology usually come with a certain amount of screen time.

Too much screen time, on the other hand, could be harmful in various aspects. It could get in the way of creative thinking as well as extremely distracting. It could hinder the accomplishment of work and school tasks. It could also negatively impact family time and relationships. It could even take a toll on a person’s physical and mental well-being. 

Screen time does not have to be totally eliminated. In fact, as the world becomes more digital, screen time also becomes an integral part of daily living. Still, if you spend most of your waking hours on your gadgets just browsing through social media or doing similar activities – then you most certainly have to curb your screen time.

8 Tricks to Manage Phone Screen Time

It could get difficult to curb or manage your phone screen time. There are certain tools you can use to help manage your screen time. This includes built-in features on your device and third-party mobile spyware and monitoring apps. 

Here are some tricks that can help you manage your screen time better. These are mostly rules and boundaries that you set for yourself.

1. Track Screen Time

You can start by tracking your screen time. Once you know your average screen time and the apps or activities you spend the most time on, you can take more effective steps to rectify whatever needs to be changed.

You can use built-in functions on your device. This could be especially helpful in monitoring and managing your kids’ screen time.

You can also opt to install third-party tracking apps. TurboSpy, for instance, lets you monitor in-device and online activities. This is on top of other useful monitoring functions such as call log and SMS tracker, GPS location tracker, and more.

2. Avoid Using Gadgets in the Bedroom

If you have the habit of checking your phone first thing when you wake up or for hours before bedtime, you better work on shaking those habits off. 

An effective way to do this is to avoid using your gadgets in the bedroom. Place your gadget somewhere in the bedroom where you can easily access it but have to at least get up to reach it.

You can also start using an alarm clock instead of your phone. This way, you won’t be tempted to start using your phone after turning off the alarm.

3. Designate Tech-Free Zones 

You can set no tech zones, especially inside your home. This way, you can be more mindful of when and where you use your gadgets.

You can start with your bedroom as discussed previously. You can also include the dining room as a no-tech zone. A bathroom is also a place you should include since most people tend to lose track of time when using gadgets inside the bathroom.

4. Remove Unnecessary Apps

Another great tip is to declutter your device from all unnecessary apps. Leave only those that you use regularly in accomplishing important tasks.

You can start by removing games. You can also choose to remove social media and other similar apps that often lure you into mindless scrolling or usage.

5. Cut Down on Social Media Use

Social media usage takes up a great part of screen time for most people. As mentioned previously, you can uninstall social media apps that lure you into mindless scrolling. Leave only those that you actually use for important matters such as business or relevant networking.

If you can, you might want to look into totally cutting out social media use altogether. You should seriously consider this if constant social media engagements take a toll on your health, especially your mental health.

6. Unplug Regularly

It is a great idea to regularly unplug – consider doing it at least once a week.

Unplugging from technology allows you to regroup and shift your focus to other matters. This could include exploring new hobbies, taking care of important tasks that you’ve been neglecting, as well as spending time with your loved ones.

7. Pick Up a New Hobby

These days, people gravitate towards gadget use to ease boredom. What many tend to forget is that there is a myriad of activities that do not include screen time.

You can pick up or explore new hobbies. You can also revisit old hobbies that you haven’t been doing much because you usually resort to using your devices.

8. Have a Screen Time Management Buddy

Another effective way to successfully manage and/or curb your screen time is by having someone to do it with.

Find someone, ideally a close friend or family member, who can commit to the same goal. This will also help you stay accountable and mindful of your actions.

Conclusion

Too much screen time, just like any other form of excess, can have negative effects. This includes taking a toll on your physical and mental health. Set and observe rules to better manage your screen time. Use your device’s screen time features or utilize the best spy apps and monitoring software that let you keep tabs on screen time, in-device, and online activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How to manage screen time on iPhone and Android?

You can utilize built-in features on both Android and iOS devices that help you manage screen time. You can also use third-party parental control apps and monitoring software like TurboSpy.

• How to turn off screen time on iPhone?

Simply go to your phone settings and look for the Screen Time feature. Simply tap on it to disable the function.

• Are there apps to manage screen time?

Yes, there are a lot of parental control apps and monitoring software to help you manage screen time. TurboSpy, for one, allows you to track in-device activities (spy calls, view messages, track apps, etc.) and online engagements (social media use, web browsing history, etc.).

• How can you curb screen time?

You can start by tracking your screen time. You can then set rules based on that information to help you curb your screen timeThis can include setting no-tech zones, setting phone usage limits, removing unnecessary apps, unplugging from technology, and more.