Weekly Screen Time Check-In: A Disrupted Routine and What I Learned
This week, I spent time at my parents’ house to watch their dog while they were out of town. I’ll be honest—my screen time increased by 34%, landing at an average of 2 hours and 59 minutes per day. While I’m not thrilled about the uptick, I want to be fully transparent about this digital wellness journey. A change in routine and limited social interaction definitely played a role, but I’m using this experience to reflect, recalibrate, and move forward with intention.
Because this week looked so different from my usual routine, I’ll be sharing a more general recap instead of my typical day-by-day format. Let’s walk through what happened, where things went off track, and how I plan to bounce back.
This Week in Review
I spent the entire week house-sitting and dog-sitting in my quiet hometown. Each morning started with a walk, followed by a regular remote workday. Midweek, I had an unexpected (but welcome) shift in plans when I got to watch my toddler niece for a few days. We had a blast blowing bubbles, watching Disney movies, and playing outside—but by the end of the week, I came down with a cold.
This series of disruptions, while meaningful and enjoyable in their own right, definitely threw off my typical structure. And without my usual support systems and environment, I noticed myself reaching for my phone more frequently than usual.
Where Screen Time Went Off Track
When you're out of your usual environment, it's harder to maintain habits—especially newer ones. At home, I live in a walkable area with access to friends, local events, and outdoor activities that make it easy to stay off my phone. But in my small hometown, where most of my childhood friends have moved away, boredom tends to creep in after 5 p.m.
The shift in environment wasn’t the only factor. Being sick didn’t help either—and I gave myself the grace to rest, recover, and yes, spend some time couch-bound with my phone and Netflix. And that’s okay. Sometimes, rest looks like unplugging from your usual goals. The key is to reset once you’ve recovered.
What I’ll Do Differently Next Time
I came prepared with my hobbies: language learning materials, crochet supplies, and more. What I didn’t do was schedule time to actually use them. Without a plan, the temptation of screen time often wins out.
Routines provide a solid framework for our goals, making daily habits feel second nature. When that structure is removed, even basic tasks require more mental energy—and that makes it harder to follow through on things like creative hobbies or mindful phone use.
Next time I’m staying somewhere new, I’ll pre-plan my week with time blocks for hobbies, movement, and downtime. I’ll also schedule virtual hangouts with friends to create more moments of meaningful connection. Even a few intentional FaceTime calls can make a big difference when you’re feeling disconnected.
The Bigger Picture: It’s All About the Plan
We’re allowed to stumble. What matters most is how we respond. For me, that means learning from this week’s challenges and planning ahead to support healthier screen time habits in the future.
This digital wellness journey isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress, reflection, and self-compassion.
Here’s to showing up again next week, with a fresh plan and a renewed mindset.
