Enter average daily hours by activity. Ratings help estimate how screen time affects wellbeing.
| Profile | Total hrs/day | Leisure hrs/day | Sleep hrs/night | Late nights/week | Risk band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced week | 3.6 | 1.9 | 8.7 | 1 | Low |
| Heavy leisure | 6.8 | 4.9 | 7.5 | 3 | High |
| Late-night habit | 5.4 | 3.6 | 6.6 | 6 | Very High |
Numbers are illustrative. Your results depend on your inputs.
TotalDaily = school + social + gaming + video + other. LeisureDaily = social + gaming + video + other. WeeklyHours = TotalDaily × days.
The risk score combines time overload, sleep shortfall, late-night use, low activity, and wellbeing ratings. Each factor contributes points that sum to a 0–100 scale.
- Time points rise when leisure exceeds 2 hrs/day.
- Sleep points rise as sleep drops below 8 hrs.
- Late points rise with more late nights per week.
- Activity points rise if daily movement is low.
- Wellbeing points rise when ratings decline.
- Estimate average daily hours for each screen category.
- Enter sleep, activity, and late-night screen nights.
- Choose ratings for mood, focus, homework, and family time.
- Press Submit to view results above the form.
- Download a CSV or PDF summary to track changes weekly.
Screen Time Mix Matters
Track screen use by purpose, not just totals. This calculator splits school, social, gaming, video, and other use to show where time stacks up. A teen averaging 1.5 hours of school screens and 2.5 hours of leisure screens reaches 28.0 hours weekly at seven days. Monthly exposure uses 4.345 weeks per month, so 28.0 weekly hours becomes about 121.7 hours. Even small shifts, like 20 minutes less daily, equal 2.3 hours weekly.
Leisure Limits and Daily Load
Leisure time is compared against a 2.0 hour per day planning target. When leisure rises above that level, the score adds time points because nonessential use can crowd out homework, hobbies, or face to face time. Total daily screen time is also checked against a 4.0 hour reference. A 6.5 hour total day can trigger both signals even if school screens are required. Balanced plans often pair leisure caps with clear goals for sleep and schoolwork.
Sleep Balance and Late Nights
Sleep moderates impact. The calculator adds sleep points below 8.0 hours and computes a screen to sleep ratio. A ratio near 0.50 reflects four hours of screens with eight hours of sleep, while 0.90 reflects six hours of screens with 6.7 hours of sleep. Late night use is entered as nights per week; reducing it often improves morning energy quickly.
Movement, Breaks, and Recovery
Daily movement is entered in minutes and treated as a buffer. Reaching 60 minutes per day pushes activity points toward zero, while very low activity increases strain. Short breaks also help. Adding five brief breaks per day, such as standing, stretching, or looking away, slightly lowers risk and supports eye comfort and posture.
Turning Results into a Weekly Plan
The output includes a leisure reduction target in hours per day and per week. If leisure is 3.2 hours daily, the suggested cut is 1.2 hours, or 8.4 hours weekly. Use that number to schedule device free dinners, homework first blocks, and a consistent cutoff one hour before bed. Recheck mood and focus ratings weekly to confirm progress.
FAQs
What counts as leisure screen time here?
Leisure includes social media, gaming, video streaming, and other non-school use. School screen time is separated so necessary learning work does not hide discretionary habits.
Why does the tool use a 2-hour leisure target?
Two hours per day is used as a planning reference to highlight when leisure may crowd out sleep, movement, and responsibilities. Families can adjust expectations to fit school demands and individual needs.
How is the risk score calculated?
Points are added for high leisure time, high total time, sleep below eight hours, frequent late-night use, low activity, and lower wellbeing ratings. Short breaks slightly reduce the score. The final value is scaled from 0 to 100.
Is a higher score a diagnosis?
No. The score is a screening-style indicator for habits that can affect wellbeing. If mood, anxiety, irritability, or daily functioning worsen, consider speaking with a qualified clinician or school counselor.
How often should we recheck the results?
Weekly is practical for routine tracking. Recheck after schedule changes, exam periods, or new device rules. Use the CSV or PDF to compare totals, late-night nights, and ratings over time.
What is one quick improvement to try first?
Start with a consistent nightly cutoff one hour before bed and charge devices outside the bedroom. Many teens see better sleep quality within days, which can improve focus and mood even before total hours drop.