Using tech to help reduce screen time

Reducing screen time is something of a hot topic these days, and something that Optus takes seriously – as demonstrated through initiatives like Optus Pause. Yet as we are all so used to having superpowered computers in the form of mobile phones at our sides, it’s not an easy switch to flip. 

According to some recent research, conducted by Deloitte and prepared for the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA), mobile connectivity is fundamental to the Australian economy and society – with Aussies spending on average three hours per day on devices connecting with family and friends, accessing services and working. 

So this is definitely not a suggestion for you to stop maintaining those connections and ditch your smartphone altogether. That would likely be a bit too restrictive in our modern world. 

What we do encourage is taking some time to reflect on how you currently use your smartphone, getting an idea of average screen time per day so that you might look to create some healthier habits. This builds on some of the topics highlighted in our recent article, 4 ways smart watches can improve your health.

This might sound counterintuitive, but there is anecdotal evidence (which is a sharing of personal experience and observations as opposed to formal experiments conducted in a controlled environment) that smart watches can help reduce screen time. 

So how exactly are people using a second device, in the form of a smart watch, to help reduce their overall screen time? Let’s look at some of the ways.

How you start each morning can have an impact on how much screen time per day you’re exposing yourself to – as once you start, it can be difficult to pull back. So trying to adopt new habits from the moment you wake up is a good place to start. 

Using a smart watch instead of your smartphone to set your wake-up alarm is one technique you can try. With a little discipline, this means you can leave your phone somewhere other than the bedroom overnight. The benefits of this are twofold:

• You won’t be tempted to pick up your phone if you’re struggling to fall asleep (though you might have something like Calm installed on your smart watch for moments like this).
• You won’t start scrolling the second you wake up in the morning.

This might help you carve out a new way of waking up in the morning, pushing back interacting with your phone and pulling forward other things such as conversations with your partner, some light meditation or a nice walk with your dog instead. 

A smart watch connected to your smart phone, using a service like Optus Number Share, means you can leave your phone in a safe place without worrying you’re missing out on anything important. That’s because Optus Number Share gives you the flexibility to share one mobile number between compatible devices, sending all of your calls and texts to your smart watch as well as your phone. So your loved ones, colleagues and couriers can all still contact you but you have no opportunity to mindlessly scroll. There are a number of people who have reported this as an effective way to cut back on screen time. 

Getting a smart watch to help you reduce your average screen time per day requires input from you. If you set up your watch to replicate every notification your smartphone receives at all times, it’s less likely to be of benefit. What should really help is making use of modes and settings, on compatible devices, so you can program your phone and smart watch to only alert you to things you’ve told it are important. This might involve disabling certain apps from sending notifications, as well as choosing who can contact you. This feature can be particularly useful if you have a deadline you need to meet or something else requiring a similarly high level of focused attention. You know your smart watch will alert you if anything you have deemed important pops up, but everything else can wait until your immediate priority is taken care of.

Setting little reminders on your smart watch can add up to something much bigger when you look at the changes over a period time. For instance, one journalist reported that after her 4-day smart watch trial, she was walking more, standing (not sitting) at her desk more and meditating more – managing to squeeze in two mini meditations each day. Your personal goals might be different, but you can follow similar principles and steps to make them a reality and cut back on unnecessary screen time.

If you’re interested to find out if this multi-device strategy can help you create a healthier balance with your tech, check out the Optus range of smart watches to see if there’s a good fit your wrist. 

If you’re after a little more information on what else you can do with a smart watch, then perhaps have a read of some of the other benefits of using a smart watch.

Samantha Shilton works for Optus. A dog mother and nature lover, she gets down to the beach most mornings for walkies and a quick dip. On the weekend, you might spot her whizzing past you on her Kawasaki.