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MAY 15, 2020

ARTICLE
MANAGING YOURSELF
5 Tips to Reduce
Screen Time While
You’re WFH
by Elizabeth Grace Saunders

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 MANAGING YOURSELF

5 Tips to Reduce Screen

Time While You’re WFH
by Elizabeth Grace Saunders
MAY 15, 2020

HBR STAFF/BILGEHAN TUZCU/GETTY IMAGES

Pre-quarantine, you likely thought that you spent almost all of your workday at the computer. But
little did you know that you could spend so much more. Between commutes, formal meetings, drive-
by chats, watercooler talks, coffee breaks, and lunches, you had many opportunities throughout your
day where your eyes would have a break from your screen and detach from the digital realm.

Now with those natural respites eliminated, there’s little to no break from the connection to
technology. In particular, video calls add an extra layer of fatigue. Having to focus on multiple faces
simultaneously while also being conscious that everyone can see you creates an added layer of

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 mental and emotional exhaustion that wouldn’t be experienced as acutely in an in-person setting.
The extra time in front of the computer can also cause eye strain and muscle fatigue because you
need to hold your body rigid for hours to stay inside a camera’s range.

To help my time management coaching clients maintain and regain energy, we’ve been working on
ways that they can reduce or eliminate technology throughout their day. Here are a few strategies
that have been most effective.

Don’t default to Zoom

Zoom and other video chat apps are wonderful tools when you are trying to get as close as possible to
replicating in-person interactions. But the level of intensity video calling offers isn’t necessary for
many communications. If a phone call would work fine for a conversation, use that. If you can
efficiently communicate what you need via email or through updating a shared document or task
management system, do that. Just because you can use video, doesn’t mean you should.

Limit your meeting time

In normal circumstances, setting aside blocks of time to get work done is a good idea. But if you find
virtual meetings draining, this practice is even more essential for you right now. Block out time on
your schedule where you’re not available for meetings so that you can temper how much virtual
communication you have each day. That could look like setting aside most of a morning or afternoon
as a meeting-free time or blocking out a few one-hour chunks of time throughout the day to detach
and focus on other work.

Choose physical over digital

To counteract the increased time in front of a screen both on and off the clock, look for ways that you
can take the low-tech route. Brainstorming for an article? Write out your thoughts on paper. Creating
a road map for a big project? Sketch the initial draft on a white board. Reading a book? Pick up a print
copy. Exercising? Go outside on a run. Anytime you can reasonably choose a physical option over a
digital one, take it. I find that stepping away from my computer not only offers a digital break, but
also in my experience helps me to be more creative.

Move as much as possible

To counteract the fatigue caused by sitting rigidly in front of your computer, move around as much
as you can. In between meetings, take a walk to the kitchen to refill your water or coffee. When you
need a quick break, do a few simple movements like rolling your shoulders to get the blood flowing.
If you have a standing desk, move it up and down so you’re able to both sit and stand throughout the
day. If you don’t have a standing desk, put your computer on a high counter or bureau to get an
opportunity to stretch your legs. And if you’re on a normal phone call and don’t need to be taking

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 notes or looking at documents while you talk, consider standing up or even walking back and forth
during the conversation.

Take tech-free breaks

Although it may feel more “efficient” to eat lunch at your computer, your brain will thank you for
taking a break from the screen. Eat lunch while chatting with your family members in the kitchen,
looking out a window, or reading a physical book. Stepping away from technology not only gives
your brain a break but also gives you the added bonus of perspective. I find that even when I take a
short lunch of 15 to 20 minutes where I simply eat without doing anything else, I feel more peaceful
at the end than I did before. I also find that I tend to have a clearer sense of the big picture of what’s
occurring in my life and work.

Another practice that’s benefiting myself as well as many of my time management coaching clients is
post-work outdoor physical activity. This includes taking a walk, playing basketball in a driveway,
gardening, or anything else that gets you active. This split from the digital world refreshes your brain
and helps to create some separation from the end of your work day and the beginning of your
personal time.

When it’s possible to go back to more in-person communications, it will be a wonderful relief. But in
the immediate term, some of the added digital load is unavoidable. These strategies can help you
counter that load and reduce digital fatigue.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time management coach and the founder of Real Life E Time Coaching & Speaking. She is
author of How to Invest Your Time Like Money and Divine Time Management. Find out more at www.RealLifeE.com.

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This document is authorized for use only by Petrut Cristina (cristina.petrut@yahoo.com). Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. Please contact
customerservice@harvardbusiness.org or 800-988-0886 for additional copies.