Screen Time - Photo Essay

As society exits our latest lockdown here in Melbourne, we reflect on how we counted down the days until we could be outside, socialise with friends and family, and travel around the world. During this time, our digital devices have become an integral part of our everyday lives.

Personally, this has become a big problem for me as I struggle to separate myself from this ‘digital box’. Morning, noon, and night I have found myself staring into the abyss of social media.

In other words, as we continue to get addicted and drawn into the digital world of unreal truths, influencers, dog videos, and other nonsense, we evolve into smartphone zombies or otherwise known as ‘Phombies’. 

The inspiration for this photoshoot was mainly drawn from this digital craving that we often give in to. Quarantine has become a time in our lives where we must depend on digital devices to connect us to the outside world.

With people working from home, students learning from home, and people having to connect with family and friends through a screen. 

Our digital devices have become a crucial aspect of our lives and our mental health has been affected as a result. Whether it’s staring at TikTok videos for two hours straight, scrolling Instagram to the end of the daily feed, or binging Netflix until you fall asleep, technology has become a real addiction. 

As we continue to immerse ourselves deep into this artificially constructed digital universe, our general well-being begins to deteriorate.

Eyes become strained by constantly staring at phones, tablets, and laptops daily. Headaches become more common as a result of the strain on the eyesight and mind and many lose sleep.

My screen time has significantly increased since the beginning of lockdown as we have been deprived of social interactions and gatherings. As a result, the number of devices I use on a daily basis has gone from one to four.

We need to be more conscious of how much time we spend on our devices, and ensure that we take adequate time off from these digital devices and recharge our minds with some healthy nourishment. Aim to take a couple of hours off from these digital gadgets or even a day, take a walk outside, and refresh your mind away from the distractions of the digital world. Stay mindful of your screen time. 

The main picture of the “monster” arms wrapping around my face was inspired by the photograph by an illustrator from London called Andrew Rae. This photograph depicts just how much we have allowed these ‘digital boxes’ to consume our lives. It has become the connection that we cannot live without the outside world. A connection that can be made in person, one that can be made without the need for digital devices.

WORDS: NALISHA KUMARASINGHE
PHOTOGRAPHY NALISHA KUMARASINGHE