If you feel like you’ve been less focused or feel like being on your screen is affecting your mental health, it might be time to make a screen time goal.
What is a screen-time goal?
I’m defining a “screen time” goal as a goal that you set around reducing your time spent on your computer or phone. I’m not defining this as time on your computer or phone for work, but more for when you’re using it for mindless scrolling or when you’re on it more than you’d like. Creating phone and technology boundaries can help you to make the time you’re on screens more intentional.
Why set a goal for screen time?
A concrete goal can make it easier to achieve your goals. When you have a set plan, it’s so much easier to achieve your desired outcome. If screen time is causing you to be distracted at work or in your life and it’s keeping you from spending your time doing what you love, it might be a good time to set some productive goals around limiting your screen time!
10 Screen Time Goals To Set
1. Get 1 Day Off Every Week on Socials
Start with your most used social media app, such as TikTok or Instagram. Call it “Screen Free Saturday” or “Sacred Sunday.”
2. Increase your screen time each week
Have you set it up to send you screen time alerts on your smartphone?
Set a weekly goal to reduce your screen time. It doesn’t have to be by a lot, but imagine how much more focused you would be at the end of the year if you decreased your screen time every single week.
3. Limit your phone usage to 3 hours per day
Or, whatever you feel is a good amount to make you feel your best.
I know that for me, social media is part of my job, so doing much less than three isn’t realistic. The magic number is what feels good for you. Make it a goal to stay there every day. A habit tracker could be a good idea to help you stay on track.
4. Put away your phone for social events
It is a good idea to make it a goal to keep your phone handy for social situations. Snap a few pictures and then forget about it. It’s never enjoyable to be around a group of people who are all just on their phones the whole time!
A basket could be set up for guests to place their phones in, so everyone is able to stay connected and distracted at the party.
5. Switch to something more than screen time
Feel like you have no time to learn a new skill you’ve been wanting to try, like learning an instrument or a language? Or maybe you’ve been trying to read more.
You can trade the scrolling time for this new activity. It’s always a little uncomfortable when you trade an old habit for a new one. It helps to remind yourself about how being on your phone too much makes you feel – and opt for a different approach that will be better for your mental health. Notice how you feel once you have switched to something else.
6. Last hour before going to bed, turn off your phone
You can smash out two goals in one with this one, because if you lessen your screen time before bed, you’re likely to get a more restful night of sleep. Set your phone in the charger, make sure your morning alarm is on, and don’t look back!
Reading before bed is a great idea, especially fiction books. I feel more sleepy if I read before bed, especially if there is no blue light from my screen.
See this list of 21 evening wind-down routine ideas that don’t include screen time!
7. Your bedroom should be a safe zone for your phone.
In fact, my bedroom should be completely screen-free. I broke this rule for a while, but I noticed that I’m better off keeping my bedroom free from the television and phone. My brain associates my bedroom and sleep, which makes me more comfortable sleeping.
8. Get off the grid
Make a goal to go on a camping trip or some kind of phone-free adventure where you’ll forget to check in or maybe don’t even have cell service, so you can just enjoy your time with your people, distraction-free.
We could all use vacations where we really decompress and feel like we’re MIA from the world.
9. Take a break from social media
Can’t go completely off the grid? Instead, take a social media vacation. Here’s a story from one of our contributors about how they experienced a month-long social media break.
10. Instead of watching multiple episodes per night, watch one episode.
You can reduce the amount of television you watch, not eliminate it. I love watching TV and don’t want to give it up, but I also love having goals around exchanging that time with doing more activities that I want to prioritize, like reading.
