How to Reduce Your Screen Time in 2018

Smartphones and other mobile devices have thoroughly changed the way we live, giving us greater access to the world's information and a whole lot of convenience. But spending too much time looking at a screen can have negative consequences on your well-being. 

If you find yourself spending too much time on your smartphone and have trouble putting it down, there are a few things you can do to help you let go. 

First, make sure to silence notifications when spending quality with friends and family, or when you're preparing to go to bed. Users can quickly access the "Do Not Disturb" in quick settings on most iPhones. But to make it a more permanent change, schedule an official "Do Not Disturb" time frame in your device's settings. For example, programming a family dinner time would prevent your phone from interrupting with pings and alerts. 

Switching on night mode is another way to reduce the ill effects of screen time. This filters out the blue light emitted by your smartphone screen, leaving you with something warmer and easier on the eyes. It may seem like a cosmetic fix, but staring at that blue light for too long can affect your sleep patterns and in turn your overall health.

Users could also download apps like Quality Time for Android and Moment for iOS, which will help them determine what's taking up most of their screen time. Once you figure out what exactly is getting you so distracted, you could then remove it from your device.

(For the screen-time you do allow yourself, we recommend checking out Nextgov.com.)

Learn more, check out the video below from CNET: