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Screen Free

Are You Ready for a Device?

​Take a minute to reflect on these questions; they will help you assess whether or not you are ready to add a device in your life. Before speaking to your parent or guardian it is a good idea to use these questions to guide your own feelings about having a screen.

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  • Need Assessment: Why do I want a device? Is it for educational, fun, or other purposes? Can these needs be met through a different activity?

  • Activity Replacement: What activities will screen time replace? How will screen time affect family time, school work, homework, time spent with friends or outdoors, etc.?

  • Focus and Self Awareness: How will this change my level of focus at home and in school? Can I  recognize when screen time is negatively affecting them? Am I aware of my own habits and can I stop them if needed?

  • Self- Regulation: Can I take breaks from screens on my own and maintain a balance between online and offline activities?Understanding of the Online World: Do I understand that false information can be spread online? Can I differentiate between fact and fiction?

  • Rule Adherence: Do I respect rules and boundaries? Can I follow guidelines set by parents that tell me what I can and cannot do online?

  • Routine Adherence: Will screen time integrate into my existing routine without dominating my time? Can I manage routines with screen time included?

  • Safety Awareness: Am I able to protect myself and others online, including managing privacy and avoiding risks?

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Tech Use​​​​​

Before you begin your tech journey, let's get familiar with healthy vs unhealthy behaviors around screen time.

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Healthy Use: Using tech to learn new skills, connect with friends, or relax after homework. 

  • Use apps that provide educational activities such as DuoLingo, Khan Academy, etc. Try using YouTube for tutorials for activities or hobbies you want to learn more about. You can connect with friends online with a parent's permission over pre-approved games or chat settings. Consider using screen time after all home and house work is done!​

Unhealthy Use: Feeling like you can’t stop scrolling, getting upset by things you see online, or neglecting your offline activities. 

  • Screens become unhealthy when you feel out of control. Some ways to know screens are unhealthy are if you struggle to focus day to day because of your phone to tablet, if you have a hard time putting it down when asked, if you feel uncomfortable when you dont have access to a screen, or if the things you are viewing online are distressing. If these apply, lets find better ways to incorporate screen time!​

Incorporating Healthy Habits

So how do we make sure our tech use is healthy? Well, lets look at some habits we can incorporate into our tech routine to ensure we are using it wisely and safely:

  • Set time limits: Set time limits to ensure that you are not spending too much time on screen or with devices. 

  • Prioritize essential activities. You must put things like school, homework, sleep, hygiene, etc. before screen time. Plan out the essential activities first!

  • Do activities that do not involve the screen. Make sure you are prioritizing other hobbies and activities. These are relaxing and provide enrichment in your day to day life.

  • Focus on educational apps. You can use screen time as a way to continue learning about a new interest or practicing school work. 

  • Name scree free zones. It is helpful to have areas where the screen is not allowed, so you are not tempted to have it on you. This allows you to be engaged with the people and things around you.

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Limited-Screen Users

Have you used screens before or incorporate them lightly into your routine? Do you have access to maybe streaming services and some games but no internet or social media? This section is for you! Here is your guide to regulating your screen habits and keeping balance.

Identifying Bad Media Habits

​​​​Knowing what media habits are bad could be tricky when you are first starting off. Below are some habits we at Take Two Media believe to be bad habits some people just beginning to gain access to screen should keep an eye out for:

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  • Reaching for your phone first thing in the morning.

  • Finding it hard to stop playing games or watching videos.

  • Feeling anxious or upset when you’re not online.

  • Feeling anxious or upset after viewing content online and continuing to view it.

  • Spending more time online than offline.

  • Does your screen time affect bed time or other important routines in your life?

  • Distracting from homework, exercise and family activities with screens.

  • Disrupting sleep with screen time.

  • Reading and spreading information that is biased or not correct without knowing it.

  • Spreading rumors or sharing too much personal information.

  • Forming unrealistic opinions or ideas about others' lives or bodies.

  • Engaging with strangers online without alerting a trusted adult.

  • Cyberbullying, which can raise the risk of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

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Tips to a Healthy Media Routine:

  • Set Boundaries for Yourself. It is important to set clear limits on how, when and where technology could be used. A parent, guardian, or trusted adult will most likely be involved in this process, but it is good to begin to consider your own personal boundaries as well.

  • Identify Tech-Free Zones: Be clear with yourself about where you are allowed to use devices and where they are not allowed. Are they allowed in school? The dinner table? Bedroom? Common Spaces? Follow through with the boundaries you have set.

  • Set a Schedules: Now consider what times you are allowed to use devices. Morning, noon, night? Before school or after? When friends are over? Think about what would be the healthiest use of certain time frames.

  • Prioritize tech free activitiesUse this reference below for some examples of screen free activities to do. Explore new ways of utilizing your time that doesn't involve screens- get creative!

  • Talk with a Trusted Adult. It can be hard to hold yourself accountable, so ask a parent or trusted adult to help you with your media wellness routine!

  •  Be Mindful of Your Media Use. Check in with your adult and discuss your habits and, most importantly, how your media usage makes you feel. 

  • Review and Revise. Consider how it's affecting your mood, sleep, and productivity. Ask your adult if your media habits are affecting family time or other social engagements. Ask advice for how to adjust if needed. 

Screen Free Activities: 

  • Outdoor Activities: Outdoor Activities allows you to get fresh air and explore! Try going for a walk or meeting up with friends in the park.

  • Exercise/Physical Play: Exercise builds strength, coordination, and overall health. It also enhances mental health! Try swimming, hiking, jumping rope, or playing family outdoor games!

  • Family Time: This could involve screens (like watching a movie together) or spending time without screens (like board games, cards, or even going out to eat or taking a walk together). Get creative!

  • Chores: These teach responsibility, practical skills, and can be a bonding experience if done as a family.

  • Reading: This enhances literacy, imagination, and focus. This can be educational text or for pleasure. It is a good activity to teach kids how to unwind and relax without screens involved.

  • Self-Care: Teaching your child self care routines and habits can be extremely useful. This will show them how to have healthy routines that do not involve screens, and that it could be fun too!

  • Social Outings: Social Outings are vital to the development of social skills. Go to the park, a coffee shop, or anywhere that friends of family might be. You can also opt to call on the phone or video chat if you cant see someone face to face.

Connected

Physical and Mental Effects of  Social Media:

​​Physical Effects: 

  • Sleep deprivation: If you are constantly online during the day, this can bleed into the nighttime. You may be more inclined to stay up late to stay on your phone, playing games, or on social media. There is also evidence that the blue light emitted from your phone disrupts sleep cycles and makes it more difficult to get to sleep. Sleep deprivation affects brain development, mood levels, and many other important functions. 

  • Musculoskeletal Problems: Too much screen time can cause actual physical pain. It can affect the thumbs, wrist, neck, head, upper back, and eyes. This is due to awkward posture in the body and hands while using phones or screens.

  • Inactive lifestyle: There are also many concerns with social media and excessive screen time causing a generally less active lifestyle than wanted in young people and teens. This of course leads to health problems such as vitamin deficiencies, exercise, and even bone density. ​​

Mental Effects:

  • FOMO: FOMO (or the Fear of Missing Out) is what keeps users online. People, especially young people, are constantly online, on games or social media, due to this fear of missing something that their friends are doing, seeing, playing, or watching. 

  • Anxiety/depression: Being online instead of participating in face to face interactions can increase young people's feelings of isolation, hopelessness, or alienation. With the constant stream of information and content, children can fall victim to comparisons and overstimulation which lead to feeling anxious or depressed. 

  • Attention: Social media and gaming is specifically designed to affect certain systems in the brain in a way that excites and stimulates them. This then leads to the brain craving more and more and more of it. THe same goes with “likes” on social media; when you receive a like or comment dopamine is released which tells your brain “I want more”, so you get caught in a cycle of being online rather than in face to face conversations. 

​Staying Safe on Social Media:

  • ​Create Boundaries for yourself online. It is important when you create a social media account to discuss rules and boundaries with a parent or guardian. This will help guide you towards a healthy mindset when it comes to social media and help you create clear rules for online behavior and activity. Voice your concerns and questions to your trusted adult to make sure you feel confident and safe logging on.

  • Make your account Private. Making a private account is the best way to keep your information, pictures, etc. as safe as possible online. 

  • Be cautious of friend requests. When receiving a friend request, make sure to always verify the account with the person they say they are. Never let someone follow you who you have never met in person (aside from distant family, but even then verify with your guardians that this is who they say they are).

  • Think before you post. It can be easy to post or send something online that you might regret later. This is why you should never post or message when you are very upset, angry, or anxious. only post when you have a clear mind and think through the post each time. Think about what it is saying, how it will be perceived, and what audience is it for.

  • Use the report and help settings on apps. On every social media platform, there are setting to report comments, posts, or accounts as well as setting to send a help guide to a friend if you see something concerning. These are two great tools for keeping yourself and others safe on social media. Do not be afraid to block and report anything online!

  • Avoid using location settings on social media apps. Turn off location setting and avoid using apps that reply on location. While fun to share location on vacations, trips, etc while posting, this can be extremely dangerous and give people access to information that you may not want them to have. 

  • Set limits on screen time. With a parent, decide on the appropriate amount of time allowed on social media. In your phone you can set limits on each app to help you stay on track with your screen limits. It is important to balance screen time with outdoor or social activities!

  • Remember that Social Media is NOT real life. It can be hard not to fall into the trap of comparisons or judgment when scrolling online. Keep in mind that all social media apps use filters, editing, etc to allow people to edit their appearance and even location! 

Screen Free Activities: 

  • Outdoor Activities: Outdoor Activities allows you to get fresh air and explore! Try going for a walk or meeting up with friends in thepark.

  • Exercise/Physical Play: Exercise builds strength, coordination, and overall health. It also enhances mental health! Try swimming, hiking, jumping rope, or playing family outdoor games!

  • Family Time: This could involve screens (like watching a movie together) or spending time without screens (like board games, cards, or even going out to eat or taking a walk together). Get creative!

  • Chores: These teach responsibility, practical skills, and can be a bonding experience if done as a family.

  • Reading: This enhances literacy, imagination, and focus. This can be educational text or for pleasure. It is a good activity to teach kids how to unwind and relax without screens involved.

  • Self-Care: Teaching your child self care routines and habits can be extremely useful. This will show them how to have healthy routines that do not involve screens, and that it could be fun too!

  • Social Outings: Social Outings are vital to the development of social skills. Go to the park, a coffee shop, or anywhere that friends of family might be. You can also opt to call on the phone or video chat if you cant see someone face to face.

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