An Empirical Guide to Fighting (My Own) Screen Addiction
Screens aren't all fun and games.
Online content is designed to be addictive. Everything on offer is based upon what you've previously shown an interest in, swiftly dragging you into the proverbial rabbit hole. I have a job now, as well as an incredibly developed sense of guilt, which means that I am not exactly comfortable with my tendency to spend hours on YouTube. The confrontation between my shame-driven reluctance to browse the web and the burning temptation to satisfy my internet cravings causes me to click on dozens of videos every week, only to end up putting them in my Watch Later playlist. The result? I now have 1,630 videos to watch.
Like most internet users, I'm as curious as ever, but I don't have the necessary attention span or patience to focus on reducing the size of that list. Somewhat counterintuitively, the explanation for this phenomena is that being exposed to infinite amounts of information causes users to process information superficially only: headlines, 10 second Instagram stories, the first minute of a YouTube video is enough.
Most importantly, I have to recognise the heavy toll that screens take on my physical health. Sleeping too close to my phone gives me crushing headaches when I wake up. Long workdays spent staring at engineering drawings and Excel spreadsheets leave me craving for the darkness of a dimly lit room – to give my eyes a little respite. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I can't help but check my phone – which could mean that sleep causes the body to experience screen withdrawal. I must note here that I do not think that employing terminology associated with drug addiction is inappropriate. After all, social media companies and the drug industry have one similarity: they both refer to their customers as "users".
Thankfully, I have grown increasingly frustrated by my inability to overcome this screen dependence. I want to satisfy my curiosity, but being incessantly bombarded with information affects my attention span to the point where it is a hindrance to my learning. The only option I am left with is a reduction of my screen use. How to achieve this is where things get complicated.
No cold turkey
As is the case with my friends, many of those close to you might have gone on social media "breaks", to mitigate the effects of screen use on mental health, learning and quality of life. The first issue with this approach is that the problem is only temporarily alleviated – once back online, the very same characteristics of social media which drove away users in the first place will resurface.
On the contrary, I would suggest that attempts to control screen addiction must not be pursued through eliminating – even temporarily - internet or social media use. We must recognise that screens undeniably are an integral part of 21st century life; even more so during a global pandemic. It would be impossible for me to stop using my phone and laptop entirely: I wouldn't be able to work, study, shop, video call family members, or attend online conferences. Mirroring a social media "break" with a screen "break" would effectively result in self-inflicted social exclusion. Instead, the objective should be to establish a way to use screens effectively and use them without being destroyed.
Therefore, getting rid of screen addiction, cold turkey isn't an option. Which begs the question: how do I reduce screen use whilst still using screens? This has proven to be incredibly difficult for me to answer, for obvious reasons: it's essentially akin to trying to slowly stop drinking whilst keeping dozens of tequila bottles in your kitchen. In other words, having screens quite literally at your fingertips isn't very helpful.
Necessary sacrifices
Inevitably, sacrifices will have to be made when attempting to reduce screen time. This can be difficult to accept. I've found that the biggest such consequence is slower message response times. Suppose you are also trying to overcome screen dependence. In that case, you shouldn't dwell too long over this: there is no obligation to answer fast. I am sure that your friends can wait a few hours. In fact, not so long ago, messaging wasn't instantaneous. Loved ones waiting overnight to receive a message are still preferable to waiting days for a letter sent through 2nd class postage letter.
Of course, there are other consequences – missing out on memes, no longer receiving news instantly, having to catch up on hundreds of group chat messages. Your FOMO can be conquered by accepting that omniscience isn't possible: there simply is too much information on the internet for you to be able to be aware of it all.
Designed to be addictive
What about self-discipline? Using sheer willpower to overcome screen addiction fails for the same reason that new years' resolutions rarely last past January 15th: self-discipline is hard to maintain. The everyday need for internet access is such that it is impossible to avoid using screens. As a result, it is impossible not to be lured back into screen addiction by the powerful algorithms designed to feed you content that you are interested in.
As you may have noticed, I have thought long and hard of ways to reduce my screen time; and tried to implement these measures. Most of them have failed, for two distinct reasons. The first reason is that I am fighting against thousands of computer scientists who are – in the pursuit of profit, not ill-harm – doing their best to keep me hooked. The second is merely how convenient phones, social media, and the internet more broadly - can be.
Keeping things simple
Of my many failed attempts at trying to reduce my screen time, "Don't unlock your phone unless you have a reason to" was the most embarrassing one. This proved to be as difficult to implement as it was longwinded to describe. The reason for this initiative failing was its excessive reliance on self-discipline, which was in my case, non-existent. The extent of my dependence was such that 5 minutes of scrolling could go by before I'd even realised that I'd unlocked my phone in the first place.
Interestingly, I've realised that the most successful ideas for screen time reduction I've thought of in the last two years have been the simplest ones. My first effective initiative was to put my phone on "Do Not Disturb" 24/7. This reduced my screen time by 70%, down to under 2 hours per day. "Do Not Disturb" is essentially like putting your phone on silent: your phone doesn't vibrate or chime when you receive notifications, even if they will show up on your lock screen. This initiative was successful because notifications inherently are a means to trigger your reward system – through likes, followers, messages, new friends as rewards – and thus keep you always wanting for more. Not knowing if I have received anything keeps my phone out of mind, particularly if it is also out of sight: in my pocket, or in another room.
However, it is important to note here that these ideas should be fluid and personalised: self-awareness is key to limiting screen time. For instance, some might find not receiving notifications incredibly stressful, and will feel the need to check their phones even more. This happens to me on exam results day – where the apprehension and fear of receiving low marks makes me check my phone incessantly. In this instance, I actually turn my notifications back on.
The main objective here should be to keep your ideas digestible and easy to remember. Other examples include:
A desktop instead of a laptop, to restrict screen use to desks and therefore a more productive environment
Leaving your phone in another room before going to bed
During working hours, only allowing yourself one non-work-related tab open at a time – this could be used for music, or for a fun video if you're on a lunch break. This would limit procrastination.
Screen-less breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
Not bringing your earphones outdoors, to encourage screen-less activities on public transport.
Decentralise, decentralise, decentralise
Moreover, screen use is difficult to reduce because phones, tablets, and computers remain incredibly useful technologies. Their convenience lies in the number of tools and resources concentrated within these devices. Diminishing screen time implies investing in more archaic and less practical objects. What happens if a brilliant idea pops into my head in the middle of the night? I'd have to use a notebook to record it. What happens if I feel a pressing need to know exactly where Doncaster is? I'd probably have to own an A-Z. What if I need the time? A wristwatch. What if I need the meaning of a word? A Dictionary. Music? CDs, Vinyl, MP3s, etc. What about my alarms? An actual alarm clock. Decentralising your sources of enjoyment, learning, and basic information from your phone to other tools and devices should be the strategy. Exchanging convenience for a healthier and more productive lifestyle is a no-brainer, to me.
More recently, I've decided to implement an 8pm-8am screen curfew. The idea behind this screen ban is two-fold: first, being able to spend more time reading and, of course, resting my eyes. Second, instilling in me a sense of urgency: where knowing that my screen time will be limited should make my use of screens more efficient. This will also undoubtedly encourage me to find ways to entertain and occupy myself, which do not involve screens, thereby forcing this decentralisation.
Looking ahead
Naturally, all of these recommendations cannot be implemented without some sort of self-discipline. We all need a means to kick start our way towards controlling and reducing screen dependency. For me, spending prolonged periods of time with loved ones is an incredibly fun way of temporarily forgetting that screens even exist, and serves as a reminder that there is a world beyond these pixels.
I can't say that I've been as successful as I would have wanted. However, I know that I have been more successful than most. My phone use currently stands at 2 hours a day, half of most of my friends' screen time. I am reading considerably more than I used to, and am much more productive at work. When it comes to technology, we are slowly coming to terms with the fact that the tech industry is almost entirely unregulated; and that screens, internet and social media can have adverse effects on health and quality of life. These personal and societal developments leave me optimistic as to our ability to control and overcome screen dependence.
Written by Tsiresy Tembwa
Tsiresy is a French/British Civil Engineering student. Although politics and activism are the key elements of his life, he is most passionate about the social responsibility of Civil Engineers to design sustainable and affordable housing, limit gentrification, and to more broadly apply their radical beliefs to their work. He is currently working on a Research Project which focuses on The Future of Social Housing