When was the last time your screen time dipped below three hours a day? For most of us, the answer is beyond recent memory. According to Harmony Healthcare, the average American spends over five hours a day on their phones, with Generation Z spending upwards of six and a half hours.
These statistics are a 14% increase from 2024, and if the trend continues, we will soon spend more time glued to our screens than actually living in the real world. It is time to ask ourselves an uncomfortable question: have we become too digital?
Technology has transformed nearly every aspect of modern life, affecting communication, education and careers. Smartphones have evolved into our personal assistants, entertainment hubs and social lifelines.
The potential for overuse is high in this current generation, especially since 91% of Americans own a smartphone, according to the Pew Research Center. According to research from OnSide, 52% of young adults and teenagers want to break free from their phone addictions, but 46% of those people are unsure of how to do it. This sense of helplessness reveals the depth of our digital dependency.
Social media lies at the heart of this issue. Apps like TikTok and Instagram, which thrive on short-form video content, have fundamentally reshaped how we consume information. The average human attention span is only around eight seconds according to Andrews University.
The constant barrage of quick, stimulating content has made it harder for many people to focus on longer, more meaningful tasks. This is not simply about distraction — it is about the erosion of patience, creativity and reflection in favor of instant gratification.
When we receive a text, a comment on social media or even an email from a professor, we get a boost of dopamine. This quick “reward hormone” has created a need for more reaffirming digital notifications — a large reason why we struggle to break the cycle of screen time.
One of the most obvious yet difficult solutions to lowering screen time is to put limitations on our social media apps. This is certainly easier said than done. Built-in time limits on phones are easy to override, and self-control can fade after a single notification.
For many, setting boundaries feels like fighting a losing battle against algorithms designed to keep us scrolling. Luckily, there are ways to win the fight.
In the last few years, certain companies have taken advantage of the increasing issue of screen time. Apps like Opal and Brick create firm barriers around chosen apps, making it easier to limit time spent on the app and bring back focus on other tasks. These tools are not perfect, but they represent an important shift toward intentional technology use.
Although these apps are great options, we cannot rely solely on them for moderating screen time. It must begin with awareness. We need to acknowledge the impacts of excessive digital consumption on our health, relationships and productivity.
Our sleep suffers when we scroll late into the night. Our conversations lose depth when our phones are out. Creativity decreases when our minds are constantly stimulated. To move forward, we need to take a conscious step back from screens to allow room for presence, reflection and real connection.
The digital world will always be a part of our lives, so we need to learn how to use it without becoming dependent. It is not too late to reclaim a healthy balance with our technology. The first step is simple: put the screen down and look up.
Long is a staff writer for the Liberty Champion.