008 | How to Spend Less Time on Your Phone
Reduce your screen time as a toddler mom
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Time is our most precious commodity. We can never get more of it, which is why I want to be intentional about how I steward the time God has given me. I don’t want to waste hours each day on mindless phone use.
Over the years, my husband and I have done some pretty drastic experiments to reduce our screen time, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. In this post, I’ll share my journey, practical strategies, and tips for reducing screen time while still balancing online content creation.
But wait—do you want to get off your phone right now? Just hit play on the podcast above and go wash some dishes or something!
Why Reducing Screen Time Matters
If you clicked on this post, chances are you already feel the effects of too much screen time. You’ve probably experienced the difference between days spent glued to your phone versus days fully present with your kids.
While I try not to subscribe to mom guilt, the days I feel most guilty are when I’m not present. Even simple tasks, like ordering groceries, can take way too long, leaving me repeatedly telling my kids, “Just a minute.” I don’t like that feeling.
Another reason I try to limit my screen time is that I can’t be present in two places at once. I can either be engaged in my phone, responding to messages and consuming content, or I can be fully engaged in real life, watching my kids’ latest tricks and interacting with them. For me, multitasking is a myth.
I’ve also noticed that excessive screen time affects my mental well-being. If I’m constantly consuming content, I don’t give myself space to process emotions, which can leave me feeling anxious without knowing why. Plus, it kills my creativity. You may have heard the phrase “create before you consume,” and I’ve found that to be essential for maintaining my own thoughts and ideas.
The Experiments We Tried to Reduce Screen Time
Rather than making small adjustments, my husband and I tend to go all in with drastic experiments. Here are some that made a big impact:
1. Canceling Our WiFi
A few years ago, we knew we’d be moving soon, so we decided to cancel our WiFi and see what happened. The result? I loved it! Without Netflix, we started borrowing DVDs from the library. Without the endless distraction of the internet, I found I gained back at least 10 hours per week that had previously been spent on mindless scrolling and binge-watching. We have WiFi again now, but we learned so much through this short-term experiment.
2. Living Without a TV
When we moved into our new home a year ago, we decided not to set up the TV right away. My husband was hesitant, but I convinced him to try it as an experiment. Now, a year later, we still don’t have a TV—and we don’t miss it!
Our daughter, who had been watching about two hours of shows daily, barely asked for them in our new home because she was so engaged in other activities. Meanwhile, my husband and I became more intentional with our evenings, playing cards, talking, or simply going to bed earlier instead of staying up mindlessly watching something.
3. Deleting Social Media Apps
I’ve deleted Instagram from my phone more times than I care to admit. For years, I felt like I needed it as a creative outlet, but once I shifted to blogging and long-form content, I realized I could scratch that creative itch in other ways. Now, I’ve disabled my Instagram account completely, and I don’t miss it at all. I’d rather connect with people in real life than keep up with them online.
My Current Screen Time Habits
Currently, my screen time is between one and two hours a day, depending on what I’m working on creatively. Of course, if I’m launching something new (like this podcast) I find it tempting to obsessively check stats. YouTube has also been a weak spot for me lately. If I’m going to get stuck on my phone, I’m probably watching YouTube shorts. But overall, I’m always looking for ways to refine my habits and be more present in daily life.
5 Steps to Reduce Your Screen Time
If you want to cut back on screen time, here are five simple steps to help you get started:
1. Start Small – You don’t have to quit TV, Instagram, and WiFi all at once. Set an app timer, reduce your screen time by 30 minutes a day, or choose one day a week to go screen-free.
2. Choose One Time of Day to Cut Back – Whether it’s avoiding your phone first thing in the morning or staying off screens during nap time, focusing on a specific window of time can make the change feel more manageable.
3. Replace Your Screen Habit with Something Else – If you’re removing screens from your life, replace them with something fulfilling, like reading, walking, or picking up a new hobby. This keeps you from feeling deprived.
4. Set Up Your Environment for Success – Move your TV out of the living room, set app timers, or use a tool like Zen Mode to lock yourself out of your phone for long enough to walk away from it. You can also keep your phone in the kitchen at night to avoid mindless scrolling when you wake up.
5. Have Grace for Yourself – Reducing screen time is a process. I’ve quit Instagram multiple times before finally sticking with it. If you slip up, that’s okay! Treat it like an experiment, adjust as needed, and keep going.
Balancing Screen Time as a Content Creator
If you use technology as a creative outlet, you might feel like you have to be on your phone all the time. But that’s a lie. For years, I believed I needed Instagram to build an audience, but now I know there are other ways.
If you want to create content without being consumed by social media, consider these options:
Shift toward long-form content like blogging or podcasting, where you can create something long-lasting. Social media content is here today and gone tomorrow, but this blog post could serve people for YEARS to come!
Batch content creation so you aren’t on your phone daily.
Set strict boundaries, such as only checking social media on your computer.
At the end of the day, your creative work should serve your life—not the other way around.
Final Thoughts
Reducing screen time has given me back so much mental clarity, creativity, and presence with my kids. Whether you take a drastic approach or start with small changes, I encourage you to experiment and see what works for you. Remember, every minute reclaimed from mindless screen time is a minute you can invest in something that truly matters.
Have you tried any screen time experiments? Let me know in the comments!
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