Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — It’s time to work on those New Year’s resolutions, and many are trying to get off their phones.
“I hate my phone, it kind of pisses me off anytime I find myself using it too long or sort of reverting to it automatically,” said Rew, a local resident.
The National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute defines excessive screen time as more than two hours a day, outside of work hours. Many people are hitting that mark nowadays, and it can come with a lot of negative effects.
A study in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction found that increased screen time for those aged 18-25 can harm learning, memory and mental health. Numerous studies have also linked increased screen time to worse sleep, The National Library of Medicine among them.
But it’s not just younger people. Phones can be addicting at any age, and many are becoming more aware of their screen time tendencies.
Patrick has a 4-month-old baby, and said he’s trying to set a good example.
“My wife and I are trying to not only limit his screen time, but at the same time, not be on our phones around him, be more mind and present,” Patrick said.
Meanwhile, Rew installed screen time limits on his phone, and said it’s working.
“What I try and do is make the password so annoying that I’m not torn to try and enter the 16-digit code that I set up,” Rew said.
There are also some third-party apps that use creative tactics to get people off their phone.
“I have this thing where you can make your screen look black and white so it kind of makes the phone look dead, it’s less enticing to want to go on it,” said Brendan, a local resident.
But sometimes, simply not having your phone near you can do the trick.
“I reach for it, it’s not there. So it’s impossible for me to pick it up,” Patrick said. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
WBZ’s Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.