How do you manage screen time for yourself?

In the month of May, I started adding “no social media” to my Daily Habit tracker. This has been an extremely successful approach to managing my screen time. I usually go 3-4 days before falling victim to the nonsense. If I do get on social media, I try to limit my time. I check my notifications, respond as appropriate, do a quick status check of family and friends, then log off.

Work also helps.

Spending 9+ consecutive hours in front of a couple of monitors will do that. Most days, the last thing I want to do is get back on a computer after I log off for the day.

I do spend a little time on WordPress. I’m sitting at a 29-day streak of Daily Prompt posts. Getting ready to be 30-days, whoot! On a positive, I’m usually only spending 10-30 minutes tops writing and content that is posted here is automatically uploaded there. So I don’t need to get on Facebook to share my posts.

I rarely play games on my phone, so no issues there. I cannot stand gaming, period. If you see me with a controller in my hand, something is seriously wrong. Seek medical attention for me immediately.

I learn by reading, so no YouTube tutorials for this girl.

Our TV is off, more days/nights than it is on. If I am sitting on the downstairs couch, it’s usually because the family is pressuring me to watch something on Netflix. I’m sure my husband has caught on, but I will be “very busy” with random tasks after dinner. To be respectful of my time, he won’t even offer to make popcorn, which in our family is the code phrase for “let’s veg out in front of the TV”. My preference would be to curl up on my comfy upstairs couch with a book and a blanket. Or soak in the tub with a book. Both, in which I partake often.

I get extremely overwhelmed by videos of angry or passionate pleas, loud noises in general, and bright colors. I am irritated by ignorant content, peoples’ stupid voices, and slow talkers. Get to the fucking point, man!! Managing my screen time ends up falling into the “self-care” category, more than anything.

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What about you? How do you manage your screen time?