Phones, laptops, tablets – we all use them, and they have practically become part of us. The internet, social media, and endless online tools can be extremely helpful and effective in our everyday lives, but excessive screen time has become a growing concern. A study published by PubMed Central investigated the effects of reduced smartphone screen time on mental health indicators and concluded that mental health can improve through reduced smartphone use. The Mayo Clinic shares additional benefits of reduced screen time, including improved physical health, more free time, more social connection, boosted mood, and community building.
There are plenty of ways to stay off your screen and regain your mental and physical well-being. In honor of Internet Self Care Day, we’ve compiled some resources and tricks we can all try to get a break from our screens.
Slim your screen time – Try Mayo Clinic’s at-home, self-guided program designed to improve your health by reducing screen time over the next two months. Simply complete at least 30 of their 100 suggested activities in the next 60 days. Try their warm and sunny activities as we end summer and move into the cooler weather of fall.
Commit to a screen-free bedroom – According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, screen time within an hour of bedtime can negatively impact sleep. To help reduce screen time before bed, remove chargers from the bedroom and set up a charging station elsewhere, such as the kitchen. Then find a good book to read and put that in your phone’s place by the bed instead!
Set limits on your smartphone – Try scheduling downtime, setting screen time limits, or limit certain smartphone applications to help reduce overall screen time. Setting limits before bed or during times when you should be focused on other tasks, like during the workday or family dinnertime, would be a great place to start. Review this article from Apple to schedule downtime on an iPhone, or this article from Google to set up Digital Wellbeing.
Challenge yourself to an outing without your phone – The Newport Institute shares tips for a digital detox, including planning tech-free activities. Start small and build up over time. Try taking a walk around your neighborhood without your phone. Then try running an errand, going to an appointment, or even going out with friends without your phone. You might find that you don’t miss it as much as you’d think!
Leverage available mental health resources at MSU – As an MSU employee, you have access to the Employee Assistance Program through University Health and Wellbeing. The Employee Assistance Program offers Michigan State University free, confidential support for mental health, work-life concerns, and life challenges. EAP services are available to faculty, staff, retirees, and graduate assistants, as well as their spouses, partners, and benefits-eligible children.
Your EAP benefit includes one to six sessions of counseling per event. Appointments can be in-person or virtual, and the choice is always yours. The EAP uses a HIPAA-compliant Zoom account to maintain confidentiality for our clients.
Join the conversation and tell us how you’re recognizing Internet Self-Care Day!
