Day in and day out we waste our time away staring at screens. Whether we are updating our Instagram feed, stalking Snapchat stories or watching Netflix, we spend a large amount time looking at our phones and computers instead of living life and enjoying what is going on around us.

According to CNN, teens spend around nine hours a day using media for their enjoyment. Now, I’m the first to admit that I am a grade A time waster and I’m not saying that taking a lazy day every once in awhile is a bad thing.  However, it is important to remember that your computer screen is not the real world.  You have to take a break and breathe in reality and the world around you.

As spring approaches and the weather gets nicer, there is no excuse to stay indoors and sit online all day. Go outside and take a walk around your neighborhood.  Or maybe

go downtown and walk around Millennium Park with your friends. Either way, do something that gets you outside, enjoying the fresh air.

Now I know that spring and the beginning of summer typically brings rain showers, preventing you from going outside and enjoying the fresh air. However, there are still numerous other things you can do that keep you away from your screens while still in the comfort of your house.

On those rainy days, take advantage of the time to utilize your creativity instead of wasting it away on your phone. Maybe you are an artist and can use the time to brush up on your drawing and painting.  Maybe writing is more so your forte and you can use the time to work on a new creative piece.  Either way, both options keep your creativity flowing and keep you away from a screen.

For those of us who are not very creative or need a bit more structure, there are always more options like DIY projects or even reading a book that require a little less creativity. The point is, regardless of how you spend your day, just make an effort to stay off your screen and enjoy the real world.