Tips To Manage Screen Time & Productivity

It’s easy to be consumed by your screen throughout the day in more instances than one—think, checking your emails first thing in the morning, spending more time than you’d like scrolling through your news feed or continuously refreshing your favourite website. In today’s world, we’re constantly distracted by our screens, which can have an impact on our daily productivity. We’re sharing three ways to set boundaries around screen time and boost productivity. —Angela Valentini

unstack certain screen time habits. We all subconsciously habit stack our screen time with activities throughout the day. This could look like checking your newsfeed or email the minute you wake up. Instead of reaching for your phone first thing, try opting for a more productive habit, like journaling or going for a walk. If we choose to limit our screen time in the morning, and throughout the day, we can spend those moments creating a more powerful routine which can set the tone for a more productive day. You can read more about the benefits to having morning routine here.

re-organize apps on your phone to limit distractions. Our home screens are filled with time-consuming and distracting apps and we don’t realize how often we subconsciously open and shift through these apps throughout the day. To reduce distractions from these apps, moving them over from the home screen, turning off push notifications and replacing them with more productive apps can help reduce unproductive time spent.

schedule certain times or breaks away from the screen. It’s easy to get caught up mindlessly scrolling through your phone. Setting certain schedules or breaks away from your screen can help you reclaim your focus. Time blocking is an effective way to counteract the habit of constantly checking in on your screen. You can commit to distraction-free breaks 3-4 times a day to help you be more present and focused on your tasks at hand.

Angela Valentini is founder and director of Valentini Group, a boutique social media agency in Toronto specializing in developing and executing effective social media strategies for brands that are ready to elevate their online presence.