5 Ways to Reduce Screen Time as a Streamer

One of the aspects of streaming on Twitch is the fact that you have to stare at screens for several hours per day. Too much screen time can be bad for both your physical and mental health. In order to protect your mind and body, you need to find other ways to decrease your screen time as a broadcaster on Twitch or YouTube.

Set a Stream Schedule

Not only should you set a schedule for when you are actually broadcasting live, set a schedule for all the other activities to go into building your channel. Other activities include video editing, networking with streamers, and keeping up with your following on socials.

Giving yourself a schedule can help you focus on the task at hand and keep you less distracted by “time wasters” online. If your time is up and you haven’t finished the task, save it for the next day. Over time, you’ll understand how long it should take you to complete a task and you’ll be able to adjust your schedule accordingly.

Use a task management app (such as Trello) to keep track of the tasks you need to complete. With your tasks all written down, you can leave your stream computer without worrying that you’ll forget to complete something later.

Lock Your Stream Room Door

If you have a special stream room, put a lock on the door. When your “shift” is up, close up shop and lock the door. Although this can seem silly, this simple act can mentally distance yourself from your channel and allow you to move on with the rest of your day.

If you don’t have a separate room, turn off your computer and clean up the stream area. Go outside for a brisk walk or have a beer or a cup of tea. Again, the point is to distance yourself from your work to give yourself a break.

Set a Fitness Goal or Find Exciting Hobbies

Create a fitness goal. Train for a 10k, do the 100 pushups challenge or find something else to do. Tell your viewers that you are doing it so that you are held accountable. If you join a gym or a local jog club, you’ll have the opportunity to make new friends who will push you.

Research shows that working out not only helps your body, but it helps your mind. Adding fitness to your daily routine will help counteract the potential damage caused by screens.

Find hobbies outside of streaming, gaming, and watching television. Learn to create something, read books (not on a tablet), or join a town sports team. Choose something that you are genuinely interested in and enjoy. Not only do you need a break from working so hard, finding non-screen things to do will probably improve your view on life.

Don’t binge-watch shows or watch things that don’t actually interest you. Set yourself a TV-schedule (even if you use Amazon Prime or Netflix) and stick to it. Many people will finish one show that they really love, then start something new because “what else is there to do?” Marie Kondo that mindset… only watch things that you are really into and you’ll save a lot of time.

Limit Your Phone Use

Clear your computer and mobile devices from unnecessary apps and programs. We all have them. They are there and we get lost in them for minutes at a time.

Set up time limits on other applications (such as Facebook or Instagram). There are tools you can get to set daily limits on both your phone and your desktop.  If you need to, start off with a larger limit per day and gradually work yourself down.

Adjust Your Screen Settings

You can adjust your screen settings to make them a little less harsh on your eyes and may limit headaches. Reduce the brightness of your screen and the color temperatures (to lesson the blue hues). You can also look into purchasing computer glasses. Computer glasses are designed to block the blue light from your screen and reduce eye strain.

Conclusion

Limiting your screen time can get you back into nature with your friends and family, which will inspire you to keep pushing toward your goal. Learn to separate yourself from your work and find exciting things to do outside of your stream channel.