IT Tech Corner

Put down your phone! 

For many of us, we find ourselves more and more drawn to our phone. It is a means of communication, notifications, entertainment, time-wasting, and the list goes on. Most agree that we are on our phones too much, and we cringe as we look at the screen-time record on our devices. What can be done about it? Besides personal discipline and sheer willpower, here are some tips to decreasing your screen time. 

• Disable notifications - many apps grab our attention through pings and alerts. Disabling those notifications will lessen the interruptions. 

• Uninstall apps - Some apps continue to ping us even though we don’t use them anymore! Uninstall them. You can always install them again in the future. 

• Set boundaries and limits - use a kitchen timer to alert you when your screen time is up. Set a start and end time, for example, no phone within an hour of waking up or going to bed. 

• Restrict functions - don’t use the phone as your clock, alarm, or go to for information. Ask a person first before asking Siri! 

Whatever your relationship with your phone, we can always improve our habits and use of technology.