We’ve all been there… it’s a lazy Sunday morning, you’re sitting in your bed in your pajamas, you have nothing to do and nowhere to go. At this point, nothing sounds nicer than watching a few episodes of your favorite TV show or scrolling through your Twitter feed. All is good until you look up at your clock and realize it’s already 3 in the afternoon! How did this happen? How did “a few” episodes or a quick “check” of your Twitter turn into a half-day event?
The internet is a wonderful thing, but it can also be a black hole that sucks up all of your time, all your energy and even your good mood. After years of being pretty much addicted to my phone and laptop, I’ve reached the point where I realized that I needed to change some of my bad habits. Here are some suggestions for how to spend a little less time staring at a screen and a little more enjoying yourself in the outside world.
Know if you’re being productive
Before diagnosing yourself with Internet addiction disorder (yes, it’s a real thing!) remember that not all time spent online is time wasted. To figure out if you really need to make some changes, consider the reasons you go on certain websites or apps. Ask yourself, are you…
1. Doing work/researching for school?
2. Connecting with friends?
3. Learning about current events?
4. Unleashing your creativity/contributing to content?
5. Just using the Internet as a way to unwind/have fun?
The Internet is an amazing resource, but spending most of your time playing Trivia Crack or taking Buzzfeed Quizzes aren’t the same as updating your vlog, reading a news article, or organizing a Facebook event. If most of your time is spent doing 1-4, you’re on the right track, but spending too many hours watching Vines can leave you feeling a little gross.
Don’t get trapped!
Most websites are designed to keep the visitor hooked for as long as possible. Look at YouTube for example; once you’re done watching a video, there’s a bunch of other videos waiting on the right side of the screen for you to click on them. Before you know it, you’ll have wasted two hours watching Americans taste-test ethnic food. It’s also easy to get sucked into websites like Tumblr and Pinterest because they have seemingly unending content to view, and no matter how far you scroll down, there’s always something new to see.
To avoid getting pulled into these time-killing vortexes, pick entertainment options like movies or longer videos that have set times that they begin and end (just don’t fall for the “up next: watch this other movie” trick Netflix likes to play on us). If you like going on websites with lots of items to scroll through, set time limits for yourself. Tell yourself that once the time’s up, you’re done. It may be difficult at first, but once you’re out doing other things you like, those unwatched videos will mean nothing anymore.
Listen to your eyes
It’s not a good sign when you’ve been sitting for so long that your eyes start to hurt. If this is the case, tell yourself it’s a good time to stop. It’s difficult when you’re super into whatever you’re watching or reading, but at this point, you need to listen to your body. Straining your eyes is never a good thing, so give ‘em a break every once in a while.
The same goes for when you’re sitting in bed with your laptop at 2 in the morning. You may be super tired, but a lot of the time, whatever you’re watching is interesting enough to ignore your need for sleep. Just remember that when you start to yawn, your body’s asking you for some much needed sleep. You’ll thank yourself in the morning!
Find other ways to fill your free time
There’s life outside of the screen! Remember when you filled your time as a kid doing all kinds of hobbies? Nowadays, lots of us college students replace these healthy, fun activities with sedentary or mindless ones. Sure, the Internet has a lot to offer, but don’t give up your favorite activities for it!
If you’re stuck not knowing what to do in your free time, start by making a list of ideas that you can refer to when you’re feeling the lure of your phone or computer.
Ask yourself:
· What skills/talents do you have that you could improve or practice? (Ex. playing an instrument, drawing, running long distance)
· What things do you like to do with your friends? (Ex. hiking, thrift shopping, baking)
· What activities did you used to do when you’re younger but stopped? (Ex. reading, crocheting, playing soccer)
· What activities are your mood-boosters? (Ex. exercising, writing in a journal, dancing to your favorite songs)
You can also make yourself a bucket list, filled with goals, places you want to see and fun ideas for outings/activities. The more you brainstorm fun things to do that don’t involve staring at a monitor, the easier it will be to fill your free time with fun, productive activities.