You are what you screen—The Screen Time Pyramid

How many times have you heard the phrase “You are what you eat”? While this phrase originates in the context of food consumption, in the modern day, it can be interpreted in the context of anything that we as human beings consume. Food and digital technology are the two products that we consume most, and the quantity and quality consumed of both, define us as people.

For our food consumption, there exists the food pyramid—a representation that gives us a framework of the balanced diet we ought to follow. Similarly, there exists the screen time pyramid—a representation that provides us with a framework of the quality & quantity of time we ought to spend consuming digital technology.

With the advancement of digital technology, screen time has become a concern of great importance. Over the last two decades, human exposure to screen time has skyrocketed and overuse has led to several health risks both mental and physical. Screen time refers to the amount of time spent on digital technology—smartphones, laptops, television, tablets, etc. It includes the time spent on technology for both work/educational and leisure purposes.  

There is a blurred understanding of the line between healthy and unhealthy connectivity over digital media. However, the negative implications of the same warrant a reflection of our digital technology consumption as well as the need to inculcate healthy digital habits. This is imperative keeping in mind that digital technology is here to stay and in fact increases our dependency on it with time.

The key factor that drives a constant increase in screen time is that sustained extensive screen time turns into a habit. Once a person gets used to using technology for long durations of time, it becomes their “baseline”. The longer we engage in it, the more time it takes for adjustment. It is much like jet lag. The longer duration you spend in a specific time zone, the harder it is for you to adjust to the time zone of another area.

As a result of the pandemic, with all our activities having gone online, our screen time increased drastically. And with having spent more than a year exposed to long durations of digital technology, it has become our baseline. Even with our offline activities having resumed, we continue to spend large durations of time on screens. A recent JAMA Network review revealed that the average child’s screen time has increased by a whopping 52% post-COVID.

One useful technique to undertake the responsible use of digital technology is the screen time pyramid. Much like the food pyramid—which tells us the quantity of nutrients to be consumed for a balanced diet, the screen time pyramid helps one build a similar framework of screen time usage.

The screen time pyramid has 4 sections—use sparingly, use occasionally, use moderately, and use freely.  Following are illustrative examples of these 4 sections: 

Use sparingly:

·       Screens before bed—blue light impairs sleep.

·       Background television—reduces the amount of conversation that could take place.

·       Screens during mealtime—often causes overeating and reduces the chances of conversation.

Use moderately:

·       Streaming platforms (with the ‘autoplay’ option off) is a downward spiral of videos and often results in a binge-watching/ magnanimous amount of lost time as well as increased screen time.

Use occasionally:

·       Social Media—there is enough and more research about the adverse mental health effects the overuse of social media has on people. But, if used in the right way it can enhance social connection

Use frequently:

·       Work/Education—emails, meetings, classes, etc.

·       Video Calls—keeping in touch with friends, family, etc.

 Let’s now do an activity. Can you recall what activities came under “use sparingly”? Now try and recall what came under “use occasionally”, “use moderately” and “use frequently”. If you were able to recall most of the activities, give yourself a pat on the back! You are one step closer to becoming a digitally responsible person! 

The screen time pyramid can of course be modified based on one’s needs, profession, age group, etc. The basic framework however gives us an illustrative example of the ideal and optimum screen usage pattern.

 Let’s now try and draw ourselves our very own screen time pyramid! Customize the aforementioned framework on the basis of your own needs!

There is a need to understand how to use devices responsibly and navigate the worlds that they offer. While it is close to impossible to completely detach ourselves from digital technology, what is possible is understanding how to use it to our benefit & avoid the associated harm. After all, digital wellness literacy is one of the cornerstones of modern life.

 How will you use the Screen Time Pyramid to uplift your life & thrive in the Digital World?

-Vansha Chawla & Rijul Arora