Many of us have found ourselves with copious amounts of time on our hands.
Personally, the most convenient way to occupy my time was to reach for my phone and jump between the same few apps for a couple of hours. When I couldn’t bear to scroll anymore, I would gravitate towards a different screen and watch episode after episode until I fell asleep. I eventually reached a point, in lockdown, when my screen time was astronomical and I realised I could not continue like this indefinitely, especially considering online learning had begun and the realist in me did not believe life would go back to ‘normal’ any time soon – if ever.
Right now, all that is on everyone’s mind is protecting themselves from COVID-19. We are donning gloves and masks, listening to the health experts and processing the fact that we are living through a pandemic. This is a scary and traumatic time and for some of us that means finding comfort through the instant gratification of our screens, without considering the potential harmful effects increased screen time is having on us.
We can’t avoid technology, but here are a few ways to ensure we are engaging with it safely and not overindulging:
- Analyse your social media usage
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Social media functions as a way to connect people from all over the world and allows us to share and engage as much as we like. At a time like this, feeling connected to a community, albeit an online one, is extremely comforting. However, taking a break from the endless scrolling to ask ourselves some tough questions could prove to be extremely beneficial. Try asking yourself: “Why do I use social media? Is what I am consuming beneficial to me? Are my intentions for sharing something good?” This is a great time to clean up your social media, unfollow old accounts that aren’t sparking joy and discover new ones that are uplifting and thought-provoking. Take this opportunity to curate your social media feed and be unapologetic about it.
- Protect your personal information
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Us humans are currently starved of human connection and I’m sure many of us were quick to download ‘House Party’, ‘Zoom’ and other similar apps to keep in contact with loved ones. Unfortunately it turns out clicking “I agree to the terms and conditions,” without actually reading the privacy information, does have consequences. The app ‘House Party’ has come under fire for allegedly leaking personal information, and ‘Zoom’ has been accused of selling users’ data to Facebook for targeted ads. While both programmes have assured users they are safe to use, I would be careful about sharing too much personal information (e.g. banking details) just to stay on the safe side.
- Guard your energy
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There is a lot of pressure to be available and accessible at this time. You may be receiving requests for video calls or getting unwanted messages from old flames – it is important to remember that you don’t owe anyone your time and energy. Not feeling up to it is a good enough excuse to decline a call. Your friends will still be around after lockdown, and will understand if you have to sit out of the Zoom call or are feeling too drained to reply immediately.
- Be aware of what you share
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In times of such uncertainty, any new information is extremely enticing. Unfortunately, more often than not, this information is not credible. Falling into fake news is easy and it can even lead to criminal charges. Here is a useful guide to avoiding fake news. Once you have established something is trustworthy, ask yourself if sharing it will have a positive impact, if it’s necessary and useful information or if it will evoke further anxiety. Consider that speculation and conspiracy can be harmful to others and perhaps err on the side of caution before hitting send.
- Avoid sharing or engaging with hateful content
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This next tip appears to be a no-brainer, but unfortunately there has been a serious increase in hateful and malicious content on social media. Whether people are feeling disconnected from reality and the consequences it brings or if people are starting to feel comfortable spewing hateful stereotypes and racist ideas in the name of humour: I don’t know. There is no excuse for being hateful to any marginalised group – not now and not ever. Instead, use this time to educate yourself on privilege and the nuances of our society. With the access we have to activists and literature, there is no longer an excuse for ignorance. Call out your friends and check yourself.
- Do everything with purpose
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Every time I pick up my phone I ask myself, “What is the purpose of this pick up? Is it to check in with a friend, procrastinate an essay or to laugh at a meme or two?” I found that if I set a specific reason for why I was using my phone, I could avoid the obsessive hours of meaningless content consumption. Instead of, “I’m bored, lets scroll through my phone,” I would tell myself, “I’m going to watch this particular YouTube video/ reply to this friend/ scroll through Instagram for a few minutes.” I started to recognise my phone as a tool for positive behaviour, like finding a recipe or a workout I enjoyed, instead of resenting the time I spent online as something wasteful or unconstructive.
Screens are here to stay and now is the perfect time to ensure you are in control of them. Developing a healthy relationship with your phone and technology is going to be beneficial as we transition into online learning. So, try to avoid slipping into the void of obsessive scrolling and comparison, but also don’t feel guilty if you do. We are all navigating this new way of living and, even if it is temporary, it is always positive to be conscious of your relationship with your screen. And, if this relationship gets toxic, consider cutting it out or implementing a few of these tips.