We can all agree that we spend too much time wasting away our lives on our devices. The statistics surrounding the average person’s screen time are alarming. Excessive screen time is quietly stealing our productivity, relationships and potential.
The average American spends about five hours on their phone. That is about one-fifth of your 24-hour day. If that doesn’t concern you, consider that the average person checks their phone about 205 times per day. Phone-checking is automatic.
Spending five hours a day on your phone from the age of 10 to 99 is about 18.5 years of your life. That is two decades lost to a screen.
If you were to spend those five hours working a minimum wage job instead of spending time on your device, you could have made $75. In five hours, a person could read a novel, finish their homework, practice a sport or even learn a new skill. Yet many of us spend that same amount of time scrolling without thinking twice. Next time you are scrolling mindlessly, take a second to think about all of the things that you could be doing instead that actually benefit you.
The problem is deeper than just wasted time. The amount of time you spend looking at a screen can also be detrimental to your mental health. Screen time has been linked to anxiety and depression, lack of proper sleep, and lower self-esteem, and most people don’t even realize it’s happening.
Social media is a highlight reel of a person’s best moments. Although it may seem like their lives are perfect, that is not everyone’s reality. When you are constantly seeing other people living their best lives, it is human nature to compare yourself to them.
Having a conversation with someone who seems more interested in their phone than in what you have to say is something we have all experienced, and it can be extremely frustrating. Phones can create a major barrier in our social interactions.
People are also more likely to have a serious conversation over the phone than they are to have one in person. This limits real, face-to-face interaction.
Not only is excessive screen time bad for your brain and mental health as a whole, but it can also negatively affect your physical health. Spending time on a screen instead of getting physical activity can contribute to weight gain, poor posture, eye strain, and other health problems.
Instead of spending the majority of your free time looking at a screen, try to pick up a new hobby, get some physical activity in, or talk to a loved one. There are so many hobbies to try; some of the more popular ones include reading, crochet, sewing, baking, journaling, drawing/painting, and learning a new instrument. All of these are good ways to access your creativity and grow your brain in ways that looking at a screen can’t.
Your time, your energy, and your potential are too valuable to waste on scrolling. Your life is made up of how you spend your time. Don’t let years of it disappear into a screen.
