Writer and journalist Jamie Friedlander Serrano discusses the process of researching screen time for her TIME article, and how it changed her personal habits.
Matthew: In your research for, and whilst writing this piece, did you reevaluate your own social media and screen time usage?
Jamie: I've always been interested in screen time and how our digital media consumption affects our mental health, and after conducting research for my TIME article, my habits changed significantly. I actually deleted both Instagram and Facebook not long after I wrote my article, and still don't use either one.
I'm also very intentional about what apps I keep on my phone, and I stray away from social media apps and online shopping apps, since both can be highly addictive. I try to limit my screen time to 1.5 hours a day — though sometimes it's more like two hours a day.
I feel so much lighter, clearer and calmer using my phone and social media less. And I'm a better parent to my young children!
"I feel so much lighter, clearer and calmer using my phone and social media less."
Matthew: Excessive social media usage is often referred to as "doomscrolling". Having written this article and looked into various studies, and spoken with various experts on the subject, why do you think it requires a conscious and concerted effort to limit doomscrolling?
Jamie: Phone apps — especially social media apps like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram — are designed to be highly addictive. Every time we get a like or a comment, or just watch a reel we enjoy, we get a little burst of dopamine in our brains.
"Every time we get a like or a comment... we get a little burst of dopamine."
This creates an addictive loop where we keep going back for more and more. Because these apps are highly addictive, it can be hard to just close them on our own. I think the best strategy is to either delete the apps entirely, or to download browser/app extensions (the iPhone has time limits for certain apps, and I also use BlockSite on my laptop).
Jamie Friedlander Serrano is a freelance writer and editor based in the Chicago area. She writes about a variety of topics, but has a particular interest in mental health and psychology. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine's The Cut, VICE, Glamour and Parents, among other publications.
