What's your screen time been today?

Shakif Fahim
47 replies
My screen time always gives me headaches. I try my very best to control my usage of my mobile. After trying for the last 2/3 weeks, I am down to 4 hours from 6 hours a day. As a tech guy, I use my laptop for everything and I prefer that way. What's your opinion? Are you really worried about your "screen-on time/display-on time"?

Replies

John Borden
I consistently log 5+ hours. That being said, I've noticed that it isn't so much screen time that affects me as much as anything visually engaging. Youtube obviously, because moving pictures, but also Twitter, since all the threads on my feed make my brain go a little nuts, and Pinterest (don't judge), on account of the visual overload of seeing a vertically-unorganized pictures everywhere. By contrast, work consists of me staring at a relatively muted text-editor, way more easy on the eyes and on the brian.
Shakif Fahim
@bjorkbat @mark_willis1 suggested me to read "Atomic Habits". I start reading the book. It's amazingly awesome. I think you should give it a try to maintain the screen-on time.
Aaron O'Leary
I work in tech as well so it's hard not to have long screen time. However, I have started setting hard finishing times for myself, after that then I try to minimize it
Shakif Fahim
@aaronoleary Yeah. But I don't like setting up time for my application. but working on my laptop is far more better than doing something on my phone
Aaron O'Leary
@shakif_fahim Yeah, screen time itself isn't a problem I feel, it's more about what you do with the screen time
Panty Place
More than 5 hours, i work on computer
Shakif Fahim
@pantyplace do you feel anxious about the fact that you are spending half of your working time in your phone?
Mark Willis
My phone now stays in another room when I'm working (in tech too). I also have DND on permanantly and only those "allowed" peoples texts and calls I get notified about, the rest I check later on. We have to make a conscious effort to minimize "out-of-work" screen time, otherwise it DOES take over. The Apple Watch/Smart watch helps IMO, as you're less likely to pick your phone up and get sucked in. I have 45 mins of phone pickups, down from 4-5 hours a year ago. Getting rid of facebook and twitter from all devices was a big part of that.
Shakif Fahim
@mark_willis1 WOW! that's a big milestone for you. getting rid of facebook and twitter is undoubtedly amazing. Give me some advice which I can follow to main this kinda situation.
Mark Willis
@shakif_fahim I read Atomic Habits 😃 try and make the bad habits, difficult. Make the good habits easy. Just deleted Facebook account altogether, OK, so I DO have Twitter for tech news, but I have a long password, I have it blocked by my browser, and the password isn’t saved, only written on paper, so I have to manually type it in. Which puts me off logging in very often. I think when you start to realise what you can do or learn when you’re not glued to a device helps. My frustration came from seeing parents with their kids on their phones and ignoring them or missing out on funny moments, and the realisation that I was doing it myself.
Mark Willis
@shakif_fahim Lol. I just read your bio. So yeah... you make it easy to login to stuff (which is awesome btw) but if it's the stuff you don't want to do... then find a way of making it more difficult. You should make an API for yourself that automatically changes your Twitter/Facebook passwords every 30 mins, then you have to answer 15 difficult mathematical questions within 5 minutes to GET the new password... 😂
Shakif Fahim
@mark_willis1 Yeah. We are working for a passwordless world (Gazepass). Do check that out - https://www.producthunt.com/post.... But what I really think is, it all about your mindset, I do made a progress with in last 3 weeks. I need to work on that a bit more. And about the Atomic Habits, my friend also recommended that. I will consider to read that book as soon as possible.
Dan Miko
8+ hours I am an app developer so I spend most of my day working on my computer. Now even more than ever because of the quarantine I spend much of my free time on the screen anyway.
Shakif Fahim
@itsmiko Yeah this quarantine situation makes us more to look into the screen. even the kids of 5-6 years old need to look at the screen more then 3/4 hours :3
Nivi Jayasekar
@itsmiko @shakif_fahim Like you, I spend most of my day working on my computer...but with the quarantine, it's definitely been harder to not spend your free time online as well. I've found 2 main things help limit most of my free time spent online - 1) enabling "allowed websites only" screen time setting on laptop & phone and 2) making everything greyscale. Both the strategies play nicely with how our brains form habits. I also highly recommend reading Atomic Habits or Power of Habit
Judith Ackerman
My phone is always open next to me while I'm working. It either plays a documentary or some random videos. I usually need a secondary anchor to direct my attention to. If I can't have a couple of points to switch my attention to, my ADHD makes it extremely difficult to focus. I'll just hope between distractions which ensures that I keep on working. So, sadly, I can't worry about my screen time. It's a necessary evil that helps me go on with the current lifestyle we're forced into :)
Shakif Fahim
@judith_ackerman it's something you can't change in your side. just wish you all the best and hope you can overcome this very soon
Karla
Hi! I used to spend more time with my mobile but I started to feel a lot of pain in my eyes. My Ophthalmologist advised me to reduce the time using my mobile and to start doing some eye's exercises every hour. He said that the pain comes when we spend a lot of time focusing the vision in short distances and the eye's muscles relaxes when see to long distances. So I am trying to take a short break every hour and to do as much as possible using my laptop :)
Shakif Fahim
@karla_suarez yeah I had similar issues. I got migraine but I maintain my mobile usage so that I can have a healthier life style :D
Calum Webb
I dread to check it if I'm totally honest, although it's something I should definitely be more conscious of. I turned mine off because I didn't like how guilty it made me feel, but finding a way to track how often I open recurring apps like Snapchat or Instagram to stay 'up-to-date' would be an interesting thing for me to track.
Bill Flitter
Great survey question! It's something I think about. I definitely feel it at the end of the day. I installed a timer - https://www.dejal.com/ that I can customize. It dims the screen and makes it not usable for 15 seconds - forces me to look away and out into the distance or get up to stretch.
Sourave Hossain
@billflitter do you think that could possibly disrupt focus?
Bill Flitter
@sourave_hossain i find after awhile it is a welcome 'disruption' for my health! I have it set for 15 second and 5 minute breaks throughout the hour. I do a bit of reflection, hydrate, pushups, or pace just to get the blood flowing again.
Jonathan Garreis
With the launch knocking on the door. The Screen time is way to high but what could i change?
Thomas Deneulin
More than 5 hours... always more than 5 hours ^^"
Shakif Fahim
@tdeneulin technology is driving all of us in this manner :3
Stuart White
Today I used Facebook, Linkedin and Pill Identifier and Drug Guide
RyanQYao
It’s always over 8 hours. Besides all the YouTube and twitch I watched, a big part is I have to use my phone to preview my design or check some references. Sometimes I will just leave the screen on without doing anything.
Shakif Fahim
@lucky13820 Yeah I do the same! watch netflix while I am resting. But this screen-on time give me panic :3
Jeff H
Way too much screentime between computer, phone, and tv. I try to go for a 1+ hour walk every day without my phone. I've found it helps a lot have all screens be completely out of mind and inaccessible for that time.
Stephanie McDonald
I've gotten to the point that I don't look at my phone during business hours (everything feeds to my computer) and at night I avoid looking at the dumpster fire that is news and social media RN.
Rek
Woke up not too long ago, but hell, I use my computer a long while. Most times all day.
Melody Soptaka
I've been pretty conscious of my screentime (mobile) recently after I decided to take a look at my usage. So, started to use Digital Balance (system feature on my phone) to limit my screentime. I don't usually set timers on my app, just my screentime. I've been trying to adopt this to help my eyes and avoid headaches. (increasing productivity was not the highest priority I mean)
Myka Javier
On my desktop, I probably have 5hrs or more since working from home (I work in tech as well). But I also work with my phone beside me and I usually take short breaks by browsing through Instagram and replying to messages, which gives me a daily screen time of 2.5hrs. I try to break away from devices on weekends (yes, including the TV), and do something that doesn't require me to look at any screens - ie. reading a book, etc.
Shakif Fahim
@msmykajavier 2.5 hours is a great deal to maintain. After posting this discussion to now. I reduce my screen-on time by +/- 1 hour. But I am a movie freak. Don't know how I am gonna skip that on weekend :3
Juhi Ganvir (Ms.)
I have created an app which helps remind users when to take a break and what to do in those breaks. Do check it out! It's named Woodpecker: Take a Break https://www.producthunt.com/post...