It is never easy to do something without a reason to do so. A good reason gives long-lasting motivation. In this article, we are going to tell you how to reduce your screen time. But, most importantly, why you should do this.

Have you ever noticed that you feel lively at night when everybody else feels sleepy? That is because teenagers’ brains produce melatonin later in the day.

When you see a bright light, your brain stops making melatonin. That means you cannot sleep well. So during the college week, you should not surf the internet before bedtime. If you need to make an order on EssayPro.com, do it during the day. If you do not get much sleep, your memory and concentration in college suffer.

Another thing that you should avoid before going to bed is watching YouTube. People like quick pictures. YouTube and TikTok show pictures and situations without pauses. We find it interesting. But then the video is over., and we fall asleep feeling like life is boring; YouTube is interesting. And then you also wake up with this feeling.

If you want to wake up in a good mood, feel energetic and be productive in college, read on! Everything is possible with due motivation.

Keep Your Phone out of the Bedroom

It is a logical conclusion to what we were talking about above. Do not mess with your melatonin. If there are several rooms in your home, leave your phone in any other room before going to bed. If you live in a dorm, obviously, your room is your bedroom. Then, put your phone away in a different corner of the room.

Delete Unnecessary Apps

Do not try to persuade yourself that all of them are useful. Of course, you should leave all tech apps that help you study better. But delete useless apps that keep distracting you with annoying notifications, especially if they are games. They will keep reminding you you have not achieved your daily mission. Your daily goal is to ignore the daily goals of your phone.

Study on Pen and Paper

COVID-19 has ruined any signs of this old-fashioned method. It is clear: you need to submit everything online. So why waste time, paper, and ink? Fair enough. On the other hand, this method has lots of benefits. So perhaps you could use it not for the actual tasks but for the sake of the process.

Firstly, you remember the material better if you write it by hand. Typing the same thing is more mechanical. Besides, you will most certainly copy-paste, not type. There is also one proven fact in favor of pen and paper. Students who study calligraphy have better analytical skills and critical thinking.

Schedule Screen-free Study time

It may seem far-fetched, but there are plenty of ways to study without your phone or laptop.

Here are just some examples:

• make flash cards (especially efficient for studying foreign languages)
• print out study material
• form a study group
• use physical textbooks

The last hint is very valuable. Arrange a meeting with your fellow students. Make sure you prepare all the resources in advance and bring the hard copies with you. This can encourage students who are struggling with college material and improve their grades. Study together and enjoy your screen-free time.

Call a friend

Not all the time we spend in front of the screen is studying time. We spend hours texting our friends via messengers or social networks. Why not make a phone call for a change? It sounds as weird as using pen and paper.

But no matter how advanced the technologies are, hearing your friend’s voice is much better. All those emojis that we are sending with a poker-face expression are worth nothing. Hearing your friend’s laughter is so much better.

Use audiobooks and podcasts

Reading is a great activity for recreation. But let us face it: we rarely buy paper books these days. We use e-readers, tablets, and phones. Our eyes are not grateful for any of these options.

But we can use our ears instead! Audio books can take us to an imaginary world where we can relax. If you like finding out new information in your free time, listen to podcasts instead of surfing the web. It is a great screen-free alternative.

Take regular breaks

A break means a break. When you decide to have a snack, put your phone aside. You move away from your computer but start scrolling through the newsfeed on your phone instead. That is not the best switch of activity.

Physical activity is another aspect you should not ignore. You can go for a brisk walk, stretch on your mat, or do some exercises. And, please, do not stare at your phone screen in the park. You can also do some simple exercises or basic gymnastics without following an instructor on YouTube.

Take up some offscreen hobbies

Watching Netflix or spending hours on TikTok are our generation’s favorite pastimes. But what did we do in our free time before? Remember all these cool offline activities?

• playing board games
• attending a sports match
• solving jigsaw puzzles
• going to a performance
• painting pictures
• knitting or sewing

Surely you can find something on this list that brings you joy and does not make your eyes suffer and turn red.

What if I am addicted to my phone?

If you admit it, it is halfway to solving the problem. If you cannot control yourself, you need extra measures. Here are some suggestions for you:

• keep the most addictive devices in a separate room/in a drawer
• record yourself on camera while studying (your phone cannot distract you when it is performing a camera function)
• use apps to monitor your screen time

Yes, we told you to delete the unnecessary apps. But it seems like you would have to download some. And use them in order to use other apps less… It sounds crazy. Yet, it makes sense. If you cannot cope on your own, here is your saving boat.

Final Words

Cutting-edge technologies are great, and we should enjoy the benefits they bring. Yet, we should not forget about offline reality. Our studies, our jobs, and even our communication with friends have gone online. So why don’t we get unglued from our laptops and phones in our free time?

You will see how your life transforms if you follow the tips in this article. You will feel more invigorated and refreshed. You will meet with friends you have not seen or even heard for ages (voice messages do not count). You will resume the hobby you have neglected. You will feel… offline.