10 practical tips to reduce screen time at work

Do you ever feel like your day melts into a digital fog? Constant emails, endless notifications, and the allure of social media can leave us feeling glued to our screens and zapped of energy. While technology is a vital tool, excessive screen time can be a productivity killer. Here’s the good news: We can reclaim control and create a healthier work environment. We’ve asked 10 business leaders for their practical tips, designed specifically for you to reduce screen time at work. By implementing these simple strategies, you’ll not only feel more focused and energized, but you’ll also unlock a boost in productivity. Imagine achieving more in less time, feeling more present during your workday, and leaving the office feeling refreshed. Let’s ditch the digital distractions and work smarter, not harder.



Mandatory exercise breaks



We’ve been casually piloting a mandatory 30-minute walk or exercise break for our entirely distributed global workforce.



Sitting stationary for hours does gradually saps your energy, creativity, and motivation. So, we thought we’d get started by gently nudging team members in our #GetOuttaHere Slack channel to step away from screens at least once during their workday and share a pic from their urban hike around the block, or regale us with a snippet of their time away.



Most report feeling a bit more recharged after a simple change of scenery. Managers appreciate the break in intensity to clear their minds before key meetings.



It’s a deceptively simple offset to the omnipresent digital grind that I’m excited to keep experimenting with and optimizing moving forward.



Jason Smit , CEO, Contentellect



Screen-free spaces



As the CEO of a family-owned wellness company, I believe creating screen-free spaces in the workplace is an effective way to reduce screen time in the organization. Though important to mental health, I know that it can be challenging to reduce screen time in today’s connected world.



Before creating the screen-free spaces, the productivity of our employees was below par. During meetings, you could see a majority of our employees checking their phones. I felt that this trend was no longer sustainable, and something had to be done. According to the senior staff, they proposed setting boundaries, switching off the phones of employees at work, and taking a break from work. 



After a review of the proposed ideas, we adopted the move to establish screen-free zones and hours at work. For example, our employees couldn’t use their computers or phones on Monday and Friday afternoons. The strategy led to instant positive results, improving our quarterly revenues by 25%. I know that it can be challenging to reduce screen time in today’s connected world. However, company leaders should tackle the problem head-on by creating screen-free spaces and hours at work.



Jan Brandrup , CEO, Neurogan Health



Talk-to-Text



As so much of my work involves meeting with clients on Zoom, it can feel hard to cut back on screen use at work. However, I have started to take my writing work ‘on the road,’ so to speak. I use talk-to-text on my phone and draft articles or posts as I’m walking outside, or I’ll go to a different space and draft ideas in a notebook. 



This allows my eyes a break from the screen and gets me movement and fresh air. This change helps alleviate any fatigue that builds up during the day and actually fuels creativity, as speaking and handwriting access different pathways in the brain than typing does. I can also be more productive as I’ll sometimes multitask by walking my dog while working!



Anne Welsh , clinical psychologist and executive coach, DrAnneWelsh.com



Walking meetings



As a remote-first company, Zoom fatigue is real. One thing we encourage is to identify meetings where being in front of a screen isn’t needed, and then dial into those meetings from a walk. There are some meetings where being at your computer or showing your face is necessary. 



But there are other times when it’s an internal meeting with one other person or a team meeting with no visual aids. At those times, it’s possible to multitask by getting some outside time while having the meeting. We’ve found that just a little break from the screen and a little sunlight go a long way in re-energizing people throughout the workday.



Amber Madison , cofounder, Peoplism



Scheduled breaks



Taking care of our team’s well-being is one of my basic tasks as the senior HR coordinator. Even when some of us work from the office, we all work mostly with screens, even during meetings. I decided to introduce something quite unpopular in November of 2023. Many people feel very strong burnout during that time of the year; their productivity and well-being start to plummet. 



We created a very simple guide of exercises each person can do a few times a day while looking out the window. We created slots for breaks during the day, during which our workers are reminded by Google Calendar to take a 10-minute break, look away from the screen, and exercise. 



We have four breaks like this during the day, every 1.5 hours. We also encourage our workers not to use their smartphones while on their lunch break. If they work in the office, they are encouraged by the managers to have lunch with their team, so that they can focus on having a real-life conversation instead of scrolling through their phones. 



Based on our KPIs, most teams have become more productive, and many employees have come back to us with very positive feedback. In December 2023 alone, so within the first month since we started this program, 12 people thanked me for it. They came to me on their own initiative and said that they are doing much better at work now, feeling more focused and less tired. It’s extremely fulfilling to see results like this when you work in HR. 



Twelve people is more than half of our company! So this is really meaningful.



Karolina Górska , senior HR coordinator, Delante



Micro no-screen periods



As someone who advises countless leaders on the mental health of their teams, the strategy I recommend to reduce screen time is literally to create time-boxed separation from screens. In today’s ultra-fast-paced work environments (a global thing now, instead of just in the U.S.), the most concrete and realistic thing I encourage leaders to tell their teams to do (and to role model too) is to dedicate micro-no-screen-time periods throughout the day. 



When I say “micro,” I mean I’m literally setting the bar for a few minutes. Everyone, no matter their role or industry, can take five minutes in their workday to look away from the computer, cell phone, tablet, etc., to close their eyes, breathe, and not look at a machine that over-stimulates our brains far more than we’re wired to handle. 



This isn’t something for the start or end of a day, but rather during lunchtime or another period where you know you can take those five minutes. It’s a tough practice to implement due to both external and internal pressures, but our brains and bodies need that break during the workday, not just after it.



Melissa Doman, MA , organizational psychologist, former clinical mental health therapist, and author, Melissa Doman LLC



Remove non-work notifications



Maintaining focus and productivity can often be a challenge. As a mindfulness-at-work facilitator and practitioner, I have found that one effective practice can significantly improve concentration and efficiency: eliminating non-work-related apps and website notifications from your work computer.



Also, by removing distractions and enabling the “Do Not Disturb” feature on your computer, you create a workspace that fosters deep concentration and protects your valuable productive time. This intentional management of attention capacity can lead to higher levels of productivity and satisfaction.



Moreover, consciously managing distractions by silencing or eliminating non-work-related apps, notifications, and websites can substantially reduce daily screen time. When you arrive at work prepared to tackle tasks, it’s essential to minimize the potential mental fatigue caused by unnecessary distractions competing for your attention.



By implementing these strategies, you can create an environment conducive to focused work, ultimately enhancing productivity and minimizing mental exhaustion in the workplace.



Ivanna Casado , wellness executive coach, Your Go-To Coach



Daily digital detox



In our ongoing battle against digital overload, we introduced the Daily Digital Detox initiative, encouraging teams to take regular breaks from screens to achieve a healthier balance between tech use and well-being. 



By stepping away from devices and allowing themselves to recharge, team members experience heightened focus and efficiency upon returning to their tasks, along with a notable reduction in daily digital fatigue. Additionally, this promotes individual overall well-being by encouraging self-care and mental wellness through activities like brief walking or mindfulness.



These intentional breaks contribute to a healthier and more balanced work ethos. Moreover, this initiative strengthens our workplace culture, empowering individuals to prioritize well-being without fear of judgment, and fostering better relationships and camaraderie. Ultimately, this initiative has created a work environment where teams can thrive both professionally and personally, prioritizing well-being as a core of success.



Hitesh Soni , senior consultant, NamanHR



Opt for one collaboration tool



Not so long ago, I was using a combination of email, Slack, and Google Calendars to collaborate with my hybrid team. However, with many team members missing out on notifications and others seeming fatigued with excessive applications, I discovered Asana as the answer to almost all of our communication needs. 



While we still have our weekly Zoom meeting for progress updates and team discussions, we collaborate better on Asana, reducing the screen time spent scrolling through our inboxes, checking Calendar for deadlines, and responding to Slack messages. I like how Asana organizes our messages and project work in different sections, and its user-friendliness enables even the least tech-savvy of us to grasp how it works.



I believe any similar all-in-one project management tool can simplify things for digital teams, limiting their screen time by a considerable degree.



Ben Lamarche , general manager, Lock Search Group



Lunch away from your desk



Because I work from home and tend to have a meeting-heavy calendar, I am intentional about making time to give my brain and eyes a break from the screen. One practical strategy that has allowed me to do that is eating lunch away from my desk. 



This simple habit gives me a much-needed mental reset so I can get a boost of energy and increase my focus for the rest of the workday. Also, taking the time to enjoy my lunch without distractions has allowed me to savor my food and be more mindful of my eating habits, which is important to me. 



As a leader, this has set a positive example for my team, encouraging them to prioritize their self-care and establish boundaries between work and personal time, too.



Ariel Belgrave , CEO, Gym Hooky