If you’re just beginning your day, there’s a very good chance you will spend the majority of it staring at, and interacting with, a bright, rectangular LED screen. In fact, you’re doing so right now.
More and more people are greeted each morning by the lit screens of their iPhones and BlackBerrys, hurriedly scouring news sites and responding to e-mails they missed while they slept. These same people commute to offices where they then spend at least eight hours working and typing away at their computers. At the end of a long day, they arrive home and watch a few hours of TV before they sleep, only to wake the next morning and begin the day in a similar fashion. Although this may not exactly describe your day, consider this: how many hours a day do you spend in front of a glowing, rectangular device?
American adults spend an average of more than eight hours each day in front of screens. The category of "screens" includes computers, TVs, and mobile devices, according to a consumer study conducted by Ball State University’s Center for Media Design and Sequent Partners for the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence.
- The screen that’s viewed most is the TV (even among 18-24 year-olds), at more than five hours a day for the average person.
- Those between the ages of 45 and 54 spend the most time in front of screens, totaling at more than 9.5 hours a day.
- On average, adults spend 142 minutes a day in front of the computer screen.
- Adults spend an average of 20 minutes each day engaged with mobile devices.
- The amount of time Americans spend watching online video (“free TV”) is vastly overstated; traditional “live” TV accounts for more than two-thirds of adult screen time each day, while online video represents an average time of just two minutes (a little more than 0.5 percent) a day.
Cutting Back on Screen Time
Un-gluing yourself from a screen is easier said than done, especially for those whose work or career depends upon lots of computer time. Here are some steps to cut back whenever possible:
- Decrease Extra Online Activities. While you need the occasional distraction, don’t over-do the time spent reading blogs, updating Facebook and Twitter, and chatting on Gmail. These activities can waste lots of time when you’re trying to work. Instead, learn self-discipline and time management, so you won’t end up spending hours and hours in front of the computer.
- Stop Feeling Guilty. There’s an avalanche of information out there (e-mails, blog posts, status updates, news articles, etc.). Face it: you’ll never be able to read it all. Keep up to date with what you can in a reasonable amount of time, and don’t worry about “catching up” with the rest. When you’re dealing with so much information, it’s best to scan quickly, and determine what you’d like to further read.
- Set Time Limits. Determine for yourself the appropriate amount of time spent online, and stick to that. Set a certain time of day to check in to e-mails, answer blog comments, read sites, and other tasks, and a time limit in which to do these. Prioritize what’s urgent. You don’t need to check e-mail and respond to Twitter posts in real-time.
- Put Down the BlackBerry/iPhone/etc. Sure, mobile devices are a great way to stay in touch and on top of things. But if you’re experiencing separation anxiety from one of these devices, this is a problem. Learn to step away from work when you’re done for the day. Pick it up if it rings, but restrain from checking your e-mail obsessively every five minutes.
- Step Away. Don’t eat your meals in front of the computer. Although this isn’t always possible during an especially busy day at work, try your best to step away from the screen’s glare while you eat your lunch. You’ll enjoy your lunch more and will return to work refreshed.
- Quit the Background Noise. When you turn on the TV, have a particular show(s) in mind to watch. Most importantly, don’t randomly zone out in front of the TV, and don’t multitask in front of it.
- Unplug. Not literally, unless you really can’t control the amount of time you spend in front of screens. Know when to walk away from technology. Go for a walk, meet up with friends, or read a book. All of these are great temporary escapes from technology.
If you’re stuck behind a computer at work, be sure to move around as often as possible. About every 15 minutes, stretch, stand, take a short walk, or change your sitting position.
As most are aware, focusing on a computer’s screen for too long can be uncomfortable, hurt your eyes, and give you a headache. Change your focus often by looking somewhere in the distance and blink regularly to avoid dry eyes. Also, place your monitor directly in front of you, at least 20 inches away, with the top of the screen at or below your eye level.
