Have you found yourself glued to the television or smartphone, mindlessly consuming content that you find entertaining? The dazzling world of digital media often serves as an escape from reality or gives your boredom a quick fix. While exposure to loud music, fast-paced shows and bright-coloured visuals might be appealing in the short term, they can be unhealthy for your brain in the long run.
Research suggests that such shows can condition your brain to crave continuous excitement, making activities like outdoor games and reading seem slow and boring. They can also reduce focus, cause anxiety, lead to sleep disorders and hamper your ability to think logically. Moreover, consuming such media can reduce your ability to be creative. In addition, it can distract you from your feelings rather than helping you deal with them.
Here are some tips that can help:
- Set a daily limit on screen time, ensuring you engage in real-life activities.
- Assign one day of the week as a ‘no screen day’, where you and your family members engage in board games, outdoor games, cooking or travel.
- Use your imagination to create your own board game or come up with an exciting outdoor game.
- Chat with your grandparents, parents, siblings and friends about your day or share any interesting new thing you learnt with them.
- Engage in reading, painting, craft, solving puzzles and other such fun activities.
- Remember that it is okay to be bored. Boredom is a superpower that can help you come up with creative ideas and broaden your imagination.
- While technology is important, managing its usage carefully is also crucial. This will allow your brain to relax, improve concentration and function well.
