9 ways to reduce your screentime for Screen-Free Week

Getting creative

Paint

Why not take some time to get creative and learn how to paint? With plenty of different styles and options to explore, you can let your creativity flow and play with different colours, techniques, and styles whilst you pop your phone down for an hour or two. You can pick up some super cheap equipment from budget craft stores and let your imagination go wild. This is also something fun to do with friends or a partner, and see how you can bounce your creativity off each other to create your masterpiece.

Learn to knit

Why not take up a new skill and learn to knit? By doing this, not only are you learning a new craft for yourself, but you can also make some fun things either for yourself or to gift to friends. Knitting is also super cheap, and on a budget, you can get away from those TikTok trends and focus your mind elsewhere. Fun fact, knitting is also very relaxing and can help de-stress after a long day.

Learn a new language

If you’ve always fancied learning a new language, maybe you have an upcoming trip or you just want to expand your knowledge, then this is your opportunity. Whether you want to join a class or learn at your own pace with a book, there are so many different languages that you can explore. Have fun, gain confidence, and practice your new linguistic skills on your next trip away with friends.

Entertain your mind elsewhere

Read a book

Why not take the time to read a book with a cup of tea? By doing this, you can detox from the world of doom-scrolling and focus on some relaxing reading. Whether you prefer fiction, non-fiction, or a self-development book, there are so many different options for you to dive your book-worm head into. Another thing you could do is join a book club to enjoy a wider variety of genres, discuss the plots and characters with like-minded people, and expand your social circle. If there isn’t a book club near you (check at your local library), consider setting one up. You could always sign up to The Book Taster Club which is a fab way to meet like-minded people in the heart of Newcastle and learn more about a variety of new books.

Podcasts

Why not take some time looking away from your phone to listen to some good old podcasts? Take a break, have a cuppa, and listen to some background noise with a selection of amazing podcasts that can be found across most streaming platforms. From so many genres to choose from, current affairs, true crime, comedy, drama, health and fitness – there’s a podcast out there for you. Put your headphones on and listen while you’re walking, running, or commuting to work. It will help you switch off and relax, trust us.

How about taking some time with friends and getting out a good board game? You could even have a ‘leave your phone at the door’ policy where phones are a no-go for the evening. If you also fancied some alone time, why not invest in a puzzle book to keep your mind ticking over? Crosswords, word searches… you know, all the good stuff. Take some time to relax on an evening and dive into your brand new puzzle book to have that social media detox.

Benefit your body and mind

Self-care

How about setting yourself up for a little self-care evening? Take your eyes away from your screen, grab a couple of cucumber slices for some extra luxury, add a face mask and some relaxing music and viola… the perfect evening for yourself. Not only will this benefit your skin and body, but also your mind. Getting away from social media after a long day can be a blessing in disguise, so why not treat your mind, body, and skin to a little TLC and get away from those screens? It will do you the world of good.

Get out for a walk

Getting outside and getting fresh air is the best way to get away from the screen. By getting out and about, you can take a stroll on a lovely spring evening which will help you get those endorphins pumping whilst you take a walk along the Quayside, or even around the city centre. Getting outside and away from your phone, can massively improve your mental well-being and allow you to feel the long-term benefits of stepping away from the screen.

Phone-free date day

How about taking some time with friends and set yourself a challenge of collectively putting your phones down for a bit, maybe even a whole day? Organise some screen-free activities that will help you and your friends spend some quality time together. You could head out to a little vintage market, go for a coffee, or even walk around the shops to distract yourself from your phone screens and spend some time chatting with loved ones. There’s so much to do with your friends in Newcastle that you’ll never be short of ideas for a phone-free day, and a perfect place to start that day is at Laneway - trust us, you will love it.

So with this in mind, why not put down your phone as soon as you’ve read this article and take our suggestions on board to make more use of your time and give your eyes a rest for your socials for a few hours a day?

If you have any other top tips for getting away from your phone, we’d love to hear about them. Let us know what you get up to on our socials.