Does your screen time reflect more Flamin’ Cheetos than Quinoa?

Cindy JobsUncategorized

The Happiness Lab podcast has been one of my favorite diversions over the last couple of months. Listening to the podcast has brought new awareness on everything from the power of meditation to the mindsets of superheroes vs. psychopaths. The podcast delivers the information with science-backed precision from a Yale professor and her colleagues.

The podcast that caught my attention recently compared good screen time and bad screen time, with the analogy of food groups with Catherine Price ( How To Break Up With Your Phone and screenlifebalance.com). If you have 26 minutes, I suggest you listen to the entire podcast. If you don’t have time, here are some of the highlights that resonated with me.

Screen-life balance: 

It’s not how much screen time you use, it’s how you use your screen time.

Don’t get hung up on the amount of time you are spending on your screens, think about how each segment of how you use your screens make you feel. Do you feel productive? Is it necessary? Does it make you feel good or connected to others? Be intentional about how you use your screens.

Screen time as food group balance: 

If you broke your screen time into food groups, what would the menu look like?

Connectivity time = Good food group (think kale and quinoa)

Work time = Necessary food group (think protein)

Anxiety-providing time = Junk food (think Flaming Cheetos or Hershey bars)

Screen time budget balance:

The three Cs of screen time usage.  How well is your time balanced?

Consumption: Time spent watching or reading things from others.

Creation: Time spent creating something that fuels you.

Connection: Time spent bringing you closer to others.

Screen time zone balance:

Be judicious about what you do where. 

Desktop: News, e-mail, etc.

Mobile: Entertainment, social media, etc.

Although this episode debuted during the lockdown, these are excellent balance strategies to carry forward after we have returned to our previously-scheduled lives.

How can you bring more balance to your screen usage? What would change for you if you did? 

 

Cindy Jobs

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