Most teens tend to be on a cell phone all of the time whether it’s watching something, playing a game or scrolling through social media. Many teenagers these days sit and don’t take the opportunity to really enjoy life and see what’s around them.

 Usually, the first action most teens perform everyday upon waking up is picking up a cell phone to check for notifications. This may occur so frequently that it has become a normal routine. Teens should try stretching or simply just starting the day off with something motivational that will wake the body and mind up from sleep. 

What happened to the world before cell phones came out? Kids went outside, found goals to accomplish, played with friends and used imaginations. It’s good to get out and simply find something that doesn’t revolve around looking at a screen. For example, teenagers could find board games to play with someone like Monopoly, UNO and Candy Land. That’s not all, there’s more exciting and fun board games out there as well. Checkers is one of my favorites, a game that uses the brain and revolves around strategy, which causes players to focus on what could happen next.

Finding a good book can be a great break from screens as well. They become good sources of mental health. Discover an interesting book, pay attention to the characters, the story plot and twists and turns that may unravel. By performing these actions while reading, a movie is basically playing inside of one’s head.

Although being on a cell phone does have benefits like setting a timer, watching something to help learn a skill and calling friends and family, teens’ addictions to cell phones seem to become higher each year. Set a limit to screen time. If it becomes clear that one spends too much time on a screen, find new hobbies and activities. Jump roping is one of my favorites. It’s not only just a source of great exercise, but it’s also very fun. Teens could even challenge themselves to get to an amount of jumps for fun. 

Many teenagers like to be on their phones to see what’s happening on social media; however, being on a phone all day or throughout the day, switching from app to app to see what’s happening can be draining. I’ve realized that the more time on a phone just scrolling on social media is time wasted that could be used more productively. Additionally, being on a phone, looking down all day can cause neck pain and even make eyes dry leading to irritation. 

Overall, teens’ addictions to phones is a serious topic. We all love phones, but there is a time when a break is needed from it. Take that break and focus on overall health. Teenagers will find out things they’ve never known about themselves while improving mental health to become even stronger than it was before!