Student Insider Krizhna Bayudan on balancing tech and life
Krizhna Bayudan is a 17-year-old senior at Lahainaluna High School on Maui and a Student Insider. She plans on becoming a physician assistant and enjoys photography and graphic design. Want to learn more about our Student Insider League? Cool. Click this link.
In a world dominated by exciting technology, we often prioritize checking Instagram over doing homework. We often prioritize watching YouTube videos over washing the dishes. We often prioritize viewing Snapchat stories over even having an after-school conversation with our parents. With so many things to do, it is essential to strike a balance with technology.
I, too, find myself consuming the fascinating information of social media before I even take off my socks when I come home from school. I am a typical teenager in this generation! Many of my friends are culprits of this as well! However, we have found ways to balance social media with other important things in life. With these five tips below, teens can pass those demanding AP classes AND watch the latest season of “Fuller House” on Netflix like we do.
Five ways to strike a balance with tech
- Download an app — Ironically, downloading an app might just keep you on track. Maybel Galace, a classmate of mine at Lahainaluna High School, says, “By downloading the Moment — Screen Time Tracker app, I was able to reduce my daily phone usage as well as keep note of which apps I’m spending most of my time on. If I exceeded more than an hour before noon, I knew I had to cut back on my bad habit of constantly checking social media.”
- Ask a parent to take your phone — Making sure my phone is in good hands (and out of mine) when I need to get stuff done is a big help. My parents are very supportive of my education and extracurriculars, so asking them to take my phone away from me helps me accomplish what I need to do. They don’t seem to mind at all.
- Make (and complete!) a to-do list — Every day I write down things that need to be done, and I discipline myself to stay off social media until I finish the list. That way, going on social media is a reward for completing what was more important first. Another Student Insider at The Social Institute, Kailey Jackson, says, “I try and avoid going on my phone anytime I’m studying and doing work so that I don’t get distracted. I usually go on social media for some time before I go to bed, but I don’t spend an overwhelming amount of time on it when I have important things to get done.”
Ironically, downloading an app might just keep you on track.
- Turn off notifications — Getting a notification from Instagram saying that someone liked your latest post can be exciting but also distracting. Multiply that by the number of apps you use, and your phone is constantly dinging. On Android or iOS, just go to Settings and click Notifications to turn them off on each app. Darren Diga, another classmate at Lahainaluna, said, “By turning off social media notifications, I don’t get distracted and I’m able to focus on my homework and getting it done.”
- Delete your apps (temporarily) — On days when I know I will be busy, I delete all social media apps from my phone. Yes, I delete them. The time it will take to put them back on, sign in, and reload the content keeps me focused on my goals. It also effectively prevents the (excessive) one-hour social media breaks I am tempted to take while studying.
Watching YouTube videos is way more interesting than washing the dishes, but it is essential to fulfilling your responsibilities before indulging in the world of social media. Balancing your life with social media may be a challenge but definitely achievable with these five tips.