Yes, I’m still playing catchup on these 2018 Mindfulness Challenges haha. I wanted to be sure to get recaps for all of them up on the blog, but I started to slow down with writing them once the holidays hit. Just have this one + December’s and then I’ll be all good!
November’s challenge was to stay mindful of screen time. We all know that nowadays it is so easy to be on our phones more than we should. This habit can seriously take away from our happiness, productivity, and just overall quality of life.
Here’s are some things we learned from intentionally being aware of our screen time…
First & Last Hour of the Day
This was a trick that I implemented throughout November. I made sure that I refrained from looking at my phone for at least the first and last hour of each day. When I woke up I would turn off my alarm and then leave my phone and do more productive things like workout, make breakfast and/or my lunch for the day, meditate, etc. At night I would plug it in an hour before bed and read a book, journal, or do something else self-care related. I found I was so much more relaxed than when I spent the last bit of my day scrolling through Instagram.
Less Phone = More Time
This one is kind of a no-brainer. When you put down your phone, you’re automatically giving yourself more time to be productive or do something life-giving. You’re more prone to go outside, exercise, clean, or be creative.
Relationships Thrive
Part of this challenge was to be mindful of when exactly we were picking up our phones. It’s too easy to forget we’re with people and just look at social media or whatever instead of having a conversation, especially when we’re with someone we’re really comfortable with. Take being in the car for example – it’s so easy to grab your phone when you’re not the one driving, but when you refrain you’re actually able to connect with the other person. This is something I definitely have been more aware of ever since this challenge.
There are Tools Available to Help us
Sometimes it can be tricky to monitor ourselves and refrain from spending too much time looking at a screen. What we have to remember is that there are so many tools we can use to help us! The latest iPhone update has something called ‘screen time’ where you can set limits for certain functions on your phone. You can also get a weekly summary where it tells you how you did. This can be extremely eye opening!
If you’re still reading, THANK YOU! There are so many more benefits to staying mindful of our screen time – these are just a few. Throughout 2019 I’m making it a goal of mine (and I’m sure I’m not alone) to be on my phone less and less.
XO Sorelle