wise words
screen addiction
6 WAYS TO
THIS SUMMER
A study of over 1000 Australian high
school students ages 13–16 found that
poor-quality sleep associated with late-
night phone use was linked to a decline in
mental health, such as depressed moods,
declines in self-esteem, and coping ability.
There’s certainly a conversation to be had
about screen addiction. According to a recent
poll of 1200 teens conducted by Common
Sense Media, 50% of them admitted to feeling
addicted to their cell phones.
But if we’re honest, Mom and Dad, the truth is it’s not just teens
who have a problem. According to a separate study, 66% of us
feel panicked when we are separated from our cell phones.
According to the Chicago Tribune, 40% of iPhone users said
they’d rather give up brushing their teeth for a week than to be
without their cells (Ew!)
— Journal of Child Development, Mobile Phones in the
Bedroom 2017
2.7x higher rates of depression were
found in frequent social media users over
less frequent users.
The impact this is having on us as individuals and as families is
evident. Teens are missing out on lessons that come with face-to-
face connection, and family time is being infringed upon when
no one can stop looking at their phones.
— University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Social Media
& Depression Survey 2016
Here are a few tips for making sure the summer
doesn’t pass without some screen-free time:
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Summer 2018
Take up a hands-on hobby like painting.
Sign your teen (and yourself!) up for art lessons,
take up a craft like woodworking, or even just keep
some of those great adult coloring books and colored
pencils around. Art and crafting are great ways to
decompress away from your cell phone.
Take a hike. There are few better ways to reconnect
than getting outside together! Pack a lunch and find
somewhere beautiful to unplug for a couple of hours.
Even better? Find a camping spot with no internet
service!
Make it a contest. Challenge your household to
see who can go the most hours without checking
email, news, or social media. Anyone who can go the
entire Saturday without a single Snap gets the prize.
Winner gets to pick dinner-or if you’re really serious,
make it a cash prize.
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www.potentialmagazine.com
www.TheFocusProgram.com
Encourage journaling. Did you know that
journaling can make you more mindful, more
confident, and can spark your communication
skills? That pretty much counters every negative
aspect of screen addiction! Get journals with your
teen’s needs and interests in mind; art journals,
dream journals, stress journals…all of them are
beneficial!
Sign up for an exercise class. An hour of
physical activity is the perfect way to unplug and
focus on something other than Instagram likes.
If classes aren’t your teen’s thing, online yoga in-
structors might be the perfect solution for a free,
at-home break from the stresses of social media.
Read a book. An actual book. On paper. Did
you know that reading from a book rather than
an e-book boosts retention, improves your sleep
quality and is easier on your eyes than a screen?