impact of increased screen time

I have been very conscious of my relationship with screens since the first lockdown, nearly a year ago now.

I have had to take my business online to keep it afloat, so that was the first change towards increased screen time. I created an online library of movement content to help my clients become more aware of their bodies and where any lack of movement could affect the whole structure. I tried to make it as simple and practical as possible with very short videos containing ideas for movement which were meant to be practised in their own time and at their own pace, away from the screen as much as possible.

I have used social media more, to make people aware of the importance of movement and have restarted a private group to be on hand, should any subscriber have any questions or need clarification.

I used to see clients face to face and have been offering online consultation on Zoom, more by necessity than by choice! More recently, I have been been making friends in online Meet-ups (my choice!) and taking part in Zoom sessions organised by various health providers, including my doctors' surgery who replaced health talks in the local hospital with online talks, again by necessity!

Screens have become really dominant in our lives in the last year and I want to focus my attention on how this is affecting me and others and become aware of the implications so I can better deal with this new dimension. You simply cannot live without a screen these days and it can be frightening when you add up the hours spent on screens each day (phone, laptop, tablet, TV). 

The main question I ask myself is: do I want to be on this screen or do I need to be on this screen? What function does my online presence serve? And take it from there.

Making a list of priorities for each day can also be helpful as well as giving myself simple choices: Do I want to spend two hours chatting to people on my computer (usually standing and moving around as much as possible!) or spending time with my family, walking, playing music, dancing, playing games, etc.  It's about weighing the pros and cons and making a decision that we're happy with.

How about asking ourself whether we feel good and energised before, during and after? or guilty and depleted?

I have created the list below to help you become aware of the main issues involved in using screens. See if you can relate to any. Pick one that you are particularly keen to address. Then it's up to you to start making a change! I believe in the power of people feeling and thinking for themselves and following their own agenda once they have the full picture. 

To be honest, I have made a poster of suggested solutions (post to follow), but see if you can come up with your own solutions first! Let me know what step you take, if any. I firmly believe that we can become the masters of our online tools.

Did I need to write this post (and increase my screen time further)? Probably not but I really enjoyed and benefitted from it. I do hope you find it helpful in making more informed decisions about your use of screens.

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