It's 2021; almost everyone you know most likely has a cellphone. Everywhere you go I’m sure you will find someone glued to their screen and believe me, it is so easy to become addicted to your phone. Personally, I spend way too much time scrolling on social media when I could use that time being more productive. Since technology is so addicting, I've found it difficult to find ways to limit screen time, but here are 4 of my creative solutions for reducing screen time.

1. Simply leave your phone behind

When spending time with friends and family or when you need to focus on staying productive, leaving your phone behind might be the best solution. This will give you no choice but to be present and not tempted to go on your phone. If you need your phone close by and leaving it behind isn’t best for you, you can always: power your phone off, leave your phone in a safe place out of reach, or turn all notifications off so you won’t be tempted to check your phone.

2. Keep your phone out of the bedroom

Personally I’ve made it a routine of going on my phone before I go to bed and right when I wake up. According to a study by Harvard Health, the artificial light from our phones and laptops, called blue light, is actively detrimental to our sleep quality, and can lead to other health concerns, too. Keeping your phone out of your bedroom, especially at night, keeps away the urge to scroll on TikTok all night long. I also find it helpful when working on school work during the day. I tend to do most of my work

in my bedroom so keeping my phone far away helps me to stay focused and on task.

3. Track your screen time and set time limits

By simply tracking your screen time, you will realize how much time you actually spend staring at your screen. Hopefully this realization will motivate you to spend less time on your screen. Another great idea is to set your own screen time limits and goals. The screen time function on iPhones is very useful. It allows you to see exactly how much time you are on your phone, which apps specifically you spend the most time on, and set time limits to help monitor your screen time. It is encouraged to spend less than 2 hours a day on your phone so I recommend you set your own limits and goals and encourage yourself to spend less time on your phone.

4. Call, don’t text

I spend a lot of my time on my phone texting my friends and family; especially those I don’t see on a daily basis. Instead of texting, try calling more. Calling instead of texting not only limits staring at your screen, but calling someone is much better at improving your communication skills and truly connecting with whomever you are speaking to. Limiting the amount you text will also limit the amount of buzzes you get from your phone.