#5: Less screentime = better work
3 reasons why reducing your screentime will bring you more joy at work
This one is for my fellow knowledge workers (and for me)—I tracked my screentime overtime.
When I clocked in more than 8 hours of total screentime, those were the days I felt overwhelmed, and all over the place. By screentime—I mean any glowing screen: laptop, phone, TV. That’s why I decided to cover this topic in this issue.
While the concept is not new, here are three reasons why you should consider reducing your screen time.
☝️ Reason #1: Easier to work without eye fatigue
The eyes can handle only so much of those glowing screens—give them a break!
Go ahead, google the consequences of too much screentime. The point here is to acknowledge that you need to take care of your physical body, including your eyes. And if you put your eyes to never-ending days processing digital pixels, they're going to get burned—yes, it’s looking like LASIK enhancement is in the books for me.
👉 So make it a reward for your focus and productivity, to spend more of your day away from the screen and more time in the real world.
☝️ Reason #2: Big chunk of your screentime are distractions
Do you need more than 8 hours of total screen time a day to do your job, relax, and stay in touch with family and friends?
If yes, you need some redesigning to do. It's not good to spend most of your days sucked in the digital world. Look around you; you live on one of the most amazing planets in the Universe.
👉 So turn off all those unnecessary notifications and email subscriptions, keeping you away from spending less time getting the actual work done.
☝️ Reason #3: What matters most lives outside your screens
Don't die with regrets.
Every screentime second means your attention is somewhere else. That somewhere else is away from the people that matter in your life. And no, being physically present (but mentally somewhere else) doesn't count.
👉 So think about how much more “I'm a great ___” points you could get if you make it a goal to accomplish your professional and financial goals with the least amount of screentime.
Reduce your screentime, and you’ll do better work in less time because you'll have to reduce distractions, do less busywork, and spend more time in the real world with the people that matter to you. And that will bring you more joy at work.
p.s. I know this one sounds a little repetitive, but sometimes you have to hit the nail a couple of times to get the message across.