I will admit, like a lot of Americans, I spend too much time on my smartphone and social media. Often I find myself wasting time on sites such as YouTube, Reddit, and Facebook, as well as checking my email a few times a day.

According to an article by Psychology Today, those on the Autism spectrum are especially vulnerable to prolonged exposure to electronic screens. The findings from the study show that those with Autism and Aspergers who spend an extraordinary amount of time on a screen leads to increased anxiety, weaker social coping skills, the over-stimulation that can lead to sensory overload and issues with sleep.

Many people use their smartphones for social media usage. Autism Activist Samantha Carter discusses on her blog why social media is a blessing and a curse for someone who has an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The takeaway is that Facebook can feed on the Obsessive-Compulsive Tendencies that is often a side effect for someone with the condition. I am not good at small talk, and a lot of times, it can be a challenge for me to think of something to say on my Facebook wall.

One of the ways I am attempting to work on my anxiety issues is to spend less time on my smartphone. Frankly, I’m tired of being chained to my smartphone. At work, I try hard to catch myself when I whip out my phone as that cuts down on workplace productivity. Due to my deficiencies in multi-tasking, I cannot walk and text at the same time.

Before I got my smartphone, I enjoyed reading books and am trying to rediscover this particular pleasure all over again. One of my favorite authors, Tim Hollis, said something that stuck with me when I interviewed him for a magazine article. He said that “not all readers are writers, but all writers are readers.” If I want to improve my writing, I need to read more books and spend less time on Facebook.

Recently, I bought several books from McKay Books in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to help me start my new habit. Another way I am trying to cut down on screen time when I want to turn my brain off is by using adult coloring books to de-stress. The sophisticated designs in these books help me to get my mind off the business of the day by coloring. Sometimes I will color while listening to relaxing music before going to bed.

Speaking of bedtime, I am trying hard to avoid looking at my phone an hour before I go to sleep because the blue light from the screen can deplete serotonin, which can make it harder to fall asleep. Instead of using my phone as an alarm clock, I have a traditional alarm clock on top of my bed to wake me up. Some people use their phones as a calendar. I prefer using a regular paper day planner to keep up with events and appointments in case my smartphone got lost or damaged.

Personally, I would not recommend those who have not graduated from high school and younger having a smartphone due to the decreased ability to be self-disciplined when it comes to monitoring the time spent on the device. Also, there is the threat of cyberbullying.

Encourage someone you know with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or other mental health issues to read or work on an art project instead of screen time if they are exhibiting signs of anxiousness. An article from the British periodical the Mirror discusses how reading the words in books on paper vs. on a smartphone or Kindle shows that those who read the text in books could concentrate and understand the subject better than those who read text on the screen in which the reader only got bits and pieces of the information presented.

Like many Americans, it will be a challenge not to be so dependent on my smartphone and social media, especially during big news stories like the current Coronavirus Outbreak as of this writing. As I develop my new habit, I hope it will become second nature to pick up a book. In my opinion, a good story is better than the latest gossip on Facebook or text.

What are you doing not to be so dependent on your smartphone or social media? Comment in the section below.