Screen Time
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Tue Nov 30 23:42:47 EST 2021

When I was a kid, my parents had the concept of "screen time".
The rules were simple:

1. No "screen time" before sundown
2. Limited total screen time for the day (maybe a couple hrs)

We didn't have TV, so this really just meant no time on the
computer or watching movies.

I was reminiscing about this recently, and thinking about the
great irony that is screen time in my adult life as a paid
programmer. I would wager I spend upwards of 10-12 hours looking
at screens every day on an average work day. A bit of time
scrolling the news on my phone before work, a 8-9hr workday
(fully remote -> meetings are screens), and then "couch time"
hobby coding and watching shows if Jennie and I don't otherwise
have a social commitment (most work nights).

Sometimes we give our eyes a break and play a board game, do
a puzzle, or read a book; but even if I spent no time on screens
outside of work, it'd be a shocking number of hours at a screen
each week.

When did I transition from such limited computer-time to such
a screen-full day? It probably started with high school, when
we started having homework on computers. Limiting screen time
became "limited video game time" and less-so about screens.

Regardless of when it happened, I've been wanting to get back
some of that offline time recently. I definitely find it
improves my mood and outlook on work and life.

I need to get outside more :)