Putting ‘time’ Back into Summertime
June 26, 2024
Remember when summer was three months of sleeping in, swimming with friends, camps and vacations? In our fast-paced world of packed schedules, constant communication and endless entertainment, carving out time for relaxation and fun has become challenging. The key to fully enjoying the summer is to minimize your time online.
The average person spends seven hours online every day. Learning to balance your internet use by blocking websites, setting screen-time limits and disabling notifications will give you more time to create lasting memories this summer.
Block Websites
Eliminating timewasters like social media, streaming and online gaming will help you accomplish tasks more efficiently. Improve productivity by limiting your use of distracting websites keeping you from your goals.
Offload time-wasting apps from your phone or block specific websites directly from your internet browser. Get more done – leaving more time for fun!
Set Screen-Time Limits
Mindless scrolling is easy to fall into, but putting your phone down and engaging in more productive activities will improve your health and happiness. A study by the National Institute of Health found people who engage regularly in activities like painting, cooking, music and sports are less likely to suffer from depression.
Set a goal to only spend two hours online daily, outside of work. Use a timer or setup daily usage times on your smartphone to stay on track.
Disable Notifications
Embrace a communication break. While technology has certainly made it easier to stay in touch, the constant notifications can be distracting and interruptive. Being present and engaged in the moment will benefit your relationships and well-being.
When enjoying game night, out to dinner or playing with your kids, silence notifications or place your phone out of reach. You can always keep your ringer on for calls in the event of an emergency.
Keep Kids Offline
Limiting screentime for kids encourages healthy development, leaving more time for physical activities, social interactions and imaginative play. During the summer, it can be difficult to monitor your children’s online activity, but new parental control apps allow you to set boundaries and restrictions on your kids’ devices from anywhere at any time.
MidSouth Fiber subscribers can set parental controls right from the MidSouth Fiber app. Establish screen-time limits, block websites and monitor activity of every device connected to your home network.
Download the MidSouth Fiber app today and start controlling your network how you wish.
Make the most out of summer by taking a break from the web and engage in more productive activities like:
- Reading a new book
- Painting or crafting
- Gardening
- Hiking and camping
- Hosting a game or movie night
- Having a picnic at a local park
- Spending time in nature – visiting local state or national parks
- Swimming at a pool, lake, or beach
- Attending summer camps
- Throwing a backyard BBQ
- Playing sports
- Trying a new recipe
- Spending the day fishing
- Visiting a museum, zoo, or waterpark
