Keys To Manage Excessive Use Of Screens During Isolation

Managing the excessive use of screens during isolation is synonymous with well-being. While overlooked by many, too much time on mobile devices carries risks to physical and mental health.

Many will think: ” if I don’t entertain myself with my mobile, then what will I do with so many hours?” or ” I need to watch movies and series so as not to freak out . ” However, there are other activities in which you could invest time.

You know why? Because there have been few studies that have reported on the damage caused by excessive use of screens. Beyond affecting visual health, its risks include:

• Development of unhealthy or unhealthy lifestyle habits.
• Receipt of inaccurate information.
• Access to harmful or inappropriate content.
• Violation of privacy.
• Cyber ​​bullying.

Now, in addition to exposing these risks, research has also provided some suggestions that can help reduce their negative impact. In the following space we detail them.

Tips for limiting screen overuse

Suggestions made by experts include the following guidelines:

• If the child is less than two years old, you simply need to avoid the use of screens.
• From the age of two, the use of screens should be limited to one or two hours a day.
• Ideally, avoid screens in bedrooms. It is better to leave them in other common places in the house.
• Pay attention, in the case of minors, to what they are observing.
• Learn to discern between what may or may not be accurate information.
• Use the mobile phone wisely, due to the ionizing radiation it emits.
• Explain to minors the risks of a possible invasion of privacy through social networks.
• Ban the use of mobile phones or other devices at important times, such as at meals or at family gatherings, for example.
• E vitar children are entertained only with electronic devices.

In addition to these keys to manage the excessive use of screens during isolation, emphasis is placed on minors, since the damage to them could be worse. Now, what can we do in our free time to avoid using screens excessively?

Suggested Activities to Avoid Overuse of Screens During Quarantine

Next, we suggest a series of activities that you can do at home to get away for a moment from the excessive use of screens during isolation, and in which the little ones can also participate:

• Play with faces and gestures: without words, obviously; thus, each team must guess the character they are trying to represent.

• Blind chicken: it is a game that, although it is childish, is fun for everyone. It consists of blindfolding one of the players, and he must try to catch the rest, also guessing who he has captured.
• Exercise marathon: in which everyone begins to play with activities such as squats, exercise routines, abdominals, among others. It is an ideal activity to take care of health and release stress.
• Board games:  most people have them at home. If not, they can even be invented with few materials.
• Drawings to stimulate imagination: prizes can be awarded to the greatest. Drawing is very beneficial for the little ones.
• Play-dough constructions: Play-dough plays are fun for the whole family and serve as a relaxation technique against stress and anxiety.
• Painting: either with your fingers, with brushes or other tools. It is entertaining and relaxing.
• Crafts: everyone has something to finish, or has an idea in mind at home, which can be anything from making a new bag to making hair ties. It is only enough to inquire into the imagination. Sure the results will be precious.

• Do theater : There are many scripts that include not only adults, but also children, so you can print and do several rehearsals until you have a play as the final result. Doing theater brings emotional benefits.

What else to do in quarantine?

As you can see, you only need to use your imagination because there are thousands of ideas. There are those who at this time have fun making puppets with socks, karaoke, performances or, simply, cooking fun recipes as a family. If you want, you can also try great ideas for working with recycled products.