There is a way for you to check how many hours you are spending looking at your mobile device. You can monitor your screen time on both ios devices and android phones on a daily or weekly basis.
Aside from the typical functionalities of a smartphone such as making calls, sending SMS, and writing emails, we also use our handheld devices for entertainment. We can use it to watch youtube videos, send messages on messenger, watch Tiktok, check friend’s statuses on social media, play mobile games, and read articles online.
Before we even noticed, we already spend numerous hours of our precious time just by looking at the screen of our smartphones. Just to give you an idea, if you are spending an average of 2 hours a day looking at your mobile phone. It means that you spent 2.5 days (60 hours) per month looking only on your phone’s screen. This is on top of the time you spent staring at the screen of your laptop doing other things. Plus watching dramas on your TV screen.
Keeping track of your mobile phone activities is necessary for various reasons. You can use the data to know which of the installed apps you like to use the most. Based on it, you have the option to optimize your usage. You can analyze if the app you spend your time with is really essential for you or just a waste of time.
We all know smartphones coupled with the internet offer numerous benefits and advantages. It helps you to stay connected with your loved ones abroad and stay up to date with your friends on social media. Moreover, you can read important news online while on the go.
However, too much screen time on your phone can cost you a number of health risks also. For example, it can take away the hours that you are supposed to use for physical activities. It can alter your sleeping pattern and can distract you during working hours. Imagine working on a crucial task and your attention is divided between your phone and the task at hand. That’s a recipe for a disaster. Right? In addition, the strain that it caused your eyes especially during bedtime when you use your device lights off.
The good thing though, is both IOS and Android devices have the option for you to check your screen time usage. It will help you know how many hours you are spending staring at your mobile phone screen.
How to Check Screen Time on Android Phone
Step 1. Go to Settings on your Android Device
On your home screen slide up or down to view the different applications on your device. Search for the gear icon named “Settings” in the list of apps.
Step 2. Search for Digital Wellbeing and Parental Control
While at the settings menu, scroll down until you see the “Digital Wellbeing and Parental Control link.”
Step 3. View your screen time
When you head on to the link, you will immediately view the “Digital Wellbeing.” You can see there your screen time. It shows the number of minutes/hours you are looking at your mobile device on daily or in weekly.
Pro tip 1: in Samsung mobile devices, you have the option to add the Digital Wellbeing App to your apps screen as shortcut. To do so, go to the tree dots (settings) located on the upper right side of the digital wellbeing screen. Toggle the “Add Digital Wellbeing to Apps screen” button.
Pro tip 2: the 3 step process varies depending on the smartphone maker.
How to Check Screen Time On iPhone
Step 1. Go to Settings
On your iPhone’s home screen, swipe left or right until you see the gear-like icon called “Settings.”
Step 2. Search for the Screen Time Icon
In the settings menu, scroll down until you see the blue-violet hourglass icon which is “Screen Time.”
Step 3. Check your Screen Time
In the screen time, you will see how many hours you are spending looking at your ios screen on daily or weekly. Your device will also show you your average usage per day indicated by a green dotted line.
Pro tip: To view your itemized usage, go to “See All Activity.” You can see there the hours of the day when you are actively using your smartphone. Also, you can view there your most used apps.
Conclusion
Checking your smartphone screen time is quite straightforward. This feature is available both on android and IOS. Use it to know your viewing pattern on daily/weekly basis. It also enables you to know the apps that you use the most. Use the data as a starting point to optimizing your usage of your smartphone.
For example, you can check which among the installed apps gets you glued on your mobile screen. Analyze if the app is essential. Otherwise, you have the option to uninstall it right away. Or you can uninstall the application on weekdays and just reinstall it during weekends when you have plenty of time for leisure.
*There you have it guys. I hope this helps!
