Phones have improved our lives in so many ways. Social media has given community and insight. But something that has so many benefits has to have drawbacks.Â
We see this in mental health, body image, eating disorders, we even see “text neck”. Technology and social media aren’t just affecting us mentally, they are causing physical impacts on our bodies and our health.Â
Time on our screens can affect our eyes, even with glasses or contacts our vision can become blurred and our eyes can get dry.
So it’s important to take breaks and find alternatives to using our screens as a go-to.
Get a planner Writing by hand helps cement information in our brains. Using a planner to track our daily lives helps us be aware of our day more than keeping track on a phone does. It’s a perfect place to write down homework assignments and to-do lists. It also gives our eyes a break from a screen.Â
Phone free study breaks Study breaks are essential. Giving our brains a rest means we absorb information better. If we spend those study breaks on our phones we lose track of time and lose the focus we had while studying. Instead of taking out your phone give your brain and body a break. Do yoga or clean your room. Do something that gets you out of the position you’ve been sitting in and gets you moving around.Â
Journal Journaling is amazing for venting about your feelings, remembering what you did throughout the week. It gives insight into a certain point in your life that you may not remember well. Writing about your day and feelings is such a relief. It gets it down on paper so it isn’t just churning around in your brain.
Do something physical This doesn’t have to mean doing a full workout at the gym. It’s important to get up and move around, especially when you’re in full study mode. You can do a 20 minute at-home yoga session or go for a walk. Even getting up and doing laundry or cleaning up your room gives a great break, while still being productive.
Listen, don’t watch Podcasts and audiobooks are a great way to be entertained and step away from a screen. We all play netflix in the background anyway, swap it for something that is actually meant to be listened to. The best part is they make multitasking easy. You can listen while you get ready, cook or do anything from the list above!
Technology and social media has so many benefits. But like everything in our lives, they require a lot of balance. Make an effort to step away from screens at some point in your day, everyday. You’ll be happier and healthier for it.
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