How often do you find yourself looking for your phones the minute you open your eyes? Has it become a “morning ritual” to browse through your devices? Does your day no longer start with a good morning to your family members, but rather with a like or a post on maybe a tweet!
Digital media is ruling our world and our lives.
Yes, technology is helping us grow and get more connected. It won’t be a surprise if a 10-year-old is teaching an adult how to use an iPad or any teenager’s biggest fear is being bullied on social media or a rumor being spread about them, or the adults of the house cannot look above their phone screens. The Internet is helping us grow, however in the bargain making us a victim of Digital media.
Digital attraction can turn into an addiction in no time.
It is common to find almost everyone have this addiction. So how and when do we draw the line? Though the decision might differ from house to house as per a number of researches the average hours any individual should spend on gadgets for leisure activities should not go beyond 2 hours.
Here are a few ways that shall help you achieve the same.
- Set an example – Your children learn many behaviors through observation. As an adult, you may find it difficult to step away from your phones, however, it is important that our actions speak louder than our words.
- A better replacement – The Digital world can be a very intriguing space. So we need to create activities to fill that void or space. E.g. going out for Coffee, game nights, pursuing hobbies actively etc. things you can do as a family.
- Diet & Lifestyle – Junk food has replaced healthy food in our kitchens. Ensure that you have wholesome meals. Try to have most of your meals with your family, where TV and any electronic media is switched off. The rule-breaker should get a tiny punishment unanimously decided by the family.
- Token economy – Every person who has least used their gadgets when at home should receive a tiny prize at the end of the month. This will motivate everyone to be more enthusiastic and participative towards this plan.
- Time limits – Beyond a certain hour, no member of the family should be allowed to use any form of gadget unless there is an emergency.
Don’t rush! Take one step at a time and analyze which intervention is effective in your household. Be patient when it comes to bringing any form of change in your family’s daily lives, you might fail a few times but keep trying as any habit will take time to break and success might be right at the corner. And lastly watch out, excess Digital media usage has often been linked with Depression, Anxiety and Phobias.
Surbhi Joshi.
Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist and Trauma Therapist
Jarma Wellness LLP.
