Covid-19, or ‘The Rona’ as we call it, has forced everyone around the world to stay indoors, avoid large crowds, and wash those hands vigorously. Schools have turned to virtual learning. Tik-Tok dance crazes have taken over and our favorite celebrities and influencers have been entertaining us via Instagram Live.
Did you know that people spend an average of 2 hours and 23 minutes each day on social media? Being inside means increased usage of our electronic devices, particularly social media consumption. According to my screen time provided by Apple, I spend a daily average of 8 hours and 9 minutes on my phone:
My screen time increased ten percent from the previous week and the majority of my time is spent on social networking apps, with Instagram leading this data. As I reflect on my own screen time, I can’t help but wonder how much time my family and friends are spending on their phones. With this in mind, I have made it a point to be intentional with my screen time, monitoring the content that I consume and how much time I spend on certain apps. Here are a few of the things that I have implemented in my daily screen time in hopes of repurposing this time:
Learning Languages
Learning a language is one way to expand your knowledge and learn about other cultures. There are a plethora of free online resources to get you started and they’re all available via an app and on a desktop!
Watching Informational Content
I classify informational content as content that informs me on what is happening in the world, or teaches me a new skill/concept or how something works. Check out these free resources for educational content across genres:
Learning New Recipes
I am far from a cook, but I love scouring social media for foods from different countries or quick-fix meals with the intention to try a new recipe. In reality, I admire the food from my phone. This has to change!
- Instagram (the explore page under the “food” section)
- YouTube
Following Health/Wellness Routines
The great thing about being indoors are the many creatives who are committed to helping others stay on track with their health. It is easy to fall behind or feel defeated, but here are a few individuals/resources for working out:
- POPSUGAR Fitness
- Nike (Nike Training Club App)
- Yoga With Adrienne
- Following dance tutorials on YouTube
Discovering New Music
This is the majority of how my time at home is spent. I absolutely love music and how therapeutic it is. Below are the top apps that I use to discover new sounds and keep up with my favorite artists. The majority are free:
- Apple Music (monthly subscription)
- Spotify (option to pay for premium account)
- YouTube
- Audiomack
Decluttering My Phone
I’m an organizer and during this time I’ve been able to declutter my phone and “spring clean” my social media:
- Deleting images from my camera roll
- Updating my Apple Music Library
- Deleting individuals as friends / unfollowing
- Updating my social media timeline / feed
- Uninstalling apps that I do not use
Spending time on your phone shouldn’t be something that makes you feel bad about yourself, but you can take the initiative to put time into things that can make you a better individual, especially during this time of stillness. If I’m spending seven hours on social media, but complaining about being bored, I can’t blame anyone but myself. Are you aware of the amount of time that you spend on your phone? How will you repurpose your screen time?
BLACK&GIFTED 
I really enjoyed reading this article. It was very informative and I would like to see more of this in the future.
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Loved the article. My teenage sister needs this advice 😊 There are tons of resources and entertaining content online more than ever before. But it comes down to what we need to improve upon and what piques our interest. Self-reflection can guide those productivity decisions. Thanks for sharing!
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