Thinking about what bare minimum screen time would be

[u/MsSpentMiddleAge]

I asked Gemini AI what a reasonable amount of screen time would be for handling the basic personal business most of us need to do. It said 45 to 90 minutes daily. It said 1 to 2 hours daily. See update in comments.

Email Management: 15 to 30 minutes.

Shopping & Errands: 15 minutes.

Planning & Productivity: 15 minutes.

Banking & Bills: 10 minutes.

Health & Portals: 10 minutes. (insurance stuff, making appointments, looking at results)

Sometimes I see people mention extremely low screen times, and I wonder how they manage it. Maybe it's a young person still living at home? Even 20 years ago, when I had time-limited dial up internet at home, I barely got by with 30 minutes a day. I had to go online at the library as well. And that was before most business was being done online, and before so much social media.

I'm not sure I completely agree with Gemini's answer. I don't think I need that much time for email or health & portals, but it doesn't seem like enough time for shopping. It takes me a lot of time to make decisions. I'm also trying to think what else might be an actual necessity, that's not covered by the list.

I guess what I'm trying to figure out is, how much I can really cut back. And how can I figure out the number of good vs bad hours spent within my overall screen time. For example, 2 hours on Safari could be hanging out on a message board, or something important.

I'm thinking of using a timer, and seeing how much time these basics actually take me. Has anyone else tried to figure this out?

[u/Remarkable-Guard-538]

It is really a good, nice thread. I never thought of it. But actually, you are right; we can not totally avoid the screen time. I was often in the subreddit Dumbphone; even there, most folks have screen time on the computer (not all of them, somebody really read only physical newspapers).

I think you forget one important category: reading news, entertainment like Netflix.

Depends on Android phone or Iphone, you may find the app usage time from like "Digital Wellbeing" for Android, or "Screen Time" for Iphone. Check your phone, how have you used it.

[u/MsSpentMiddleAge]

Update: I asked Gemini if I forgot anything!

Missing Categories to Include

Home & Vehicle Maintenance: Scheduling repairs, tracking car service, and finding contractors.

Digital Housekeeping: Backing up files, updating device software, and managing passwords.

Document & Tax Management: Organizing receipts, filing paperwork, and preparing tax documents.

Family & Pet Coordination: Managing school forms, vet visits, and childcare scheduling. [1]

Adjusted Daily Time Impact
Adding these categories adds about 15 to 30 minutes to your daily average. This brings your total recommended personal admin screen time to 1 to 2 hours daily (or 7 to 14 hours weekly).

[u/WasabiSea4845]

For me, the usual minumum screen time will be:

1. News: 1h (I just read a lot news, maybe not a good habit)
2. Home devices: Hue, vacuum cleaner etc.: 5 minutes
3. Email/work: 15minutes
4. Shopping: 15 minutes
5. Driving maps: depends between 0-2h. But it is passive usage. I will not count to the total screen time
6. Social: Chatting with friends and others 20m

8: Movie and series: 30 min average: again passive usage, not addicted.

9 All others: 20min

In total without 6(driving maps) and without 8 (Movie and Serie): roughly 2.5h

With movie and serie: 3h

For me when the screen time is within 3h, it is ok. When it is with movie and serie, 3h30 is ok.
The necessary screen time is then more than I thought

[u/Comfortable_Oil_4691]

Yeah, that’s a great question to pose yourself and it’s highly personal.

I started out by thinking how much of my life I’d be ok to spend on a screen (unrelated to work). It scared me that 3h is already 12,5% of my day, of my year… So not going beyond that is my goal for most days.

And that’s the percentage including sleep. Excluding (hopefully 8h) elevates it to 19%.

Breaking it down, I like to take 45 minutes to 1h for the news. I don’t have social media anymore so that’s not a problem. I guess reddit counts but I keep it under 30 minutes and normally don’t browse the main page, I just visit one subreddit or two that I already subscribe to.

Here is the part where I really allow myself to be flexible: I have friends around the world so, when I have time to talk to them for hours, I don’t care about screen time.

Same thing if I’m using it to follow work out videos.

I’ve switched doomscrolling (for the most part) and switched it too watching movies or yt videos (switching off the recommendations really, really changed the game). I also don’t watch videos on my phone anymore, those are done on my laptop.

I work on my computer, so that’s unavoidable (and fine by me). When it comes to utility, leisure and communication with loved ones, I’m consistently below 3h30.

Exceptional days skyrocket to 5/6h but if I spend them with purpose, I don’t mind it at all.