It’s kind of hard at times not to look at screens. They’re part of so much of what we do, and they’re everywhere we look. The number of hours of screentime continues to rise.  

That can sometimes bring a feeling of screentime guilt. that you are spending too much of your day staring at them. Having a balance can help you to get rid of that guilt. 

But how much screentime are you supposed to have? When does it stop becoming fun and start becoming unhealthy? 

Healthy Screentime 

Let’s get one thing straight first. Screentime isn’t all bad. In some cases, it can help your mental health.

But too much of it can be unhealthy. How do we know when we’ve hit that point? 

The answer to how much screentime is healthy isn’t simple. There isn’t a set of rules or guidelines that give us a clear answer.  

Part of that is because it can depend on what age we are. The World Health Organisation recommends really young children have a lot less than older children and young people for example. They say no screentime for children under the age of two, and one hour a day for children between two and four years old. However, they don’t set limits for anyone older than that. 

Why you are on your screen can also play a part. For example, if you are using it to do homework, you are giving your brain a workout. If you are sitting zoned out on YouTube or TikTok though, then it’s not as beneficial.  

Other factors like how active you are elsewhere in your life will have an impact too. If you aren’t active much through the dare, it’s important to balance your screentime with trying to do something to get you moving to keep fit and healthy.  

Set Your Own Limits 

How long do you think is healthy for you to be on screens? Be honest with yourself. Do you know when it goes from enjoyment to you just staring at a screen? 

Plan your own screentime to get the most from it. Work out when you most have fun (such as when your friends are online) and decide when you are going to have your time away from your screen. There will be times you will need to be on, such as for school work, so factor all that in.  

What would you be doing if you weren’t on a screen? Our Screensavers have some suggestions that might get you started.

Why not take our quiz to see how much you love screentime? Then you can decide whether you want to cut back or if you’re comfortable with it at the moment.  

We’ve also got tips on healthy use of social media and on how to reduce screentime before you go to bed.

Got a tip that you want to share? We’d love to hear it!