Lost in the scroll? How to take back control of your screen time with Virgin Media

We've all done it. You reach for your phone to check one thing and somehow end up down a scrolling rabbit hole. A quick look at social media turns into a stream of videos. One notification leads to another. Before you know it, you've spent far more time online than you planned.

While it might seem harmless, those moments can quickly add up. Our research found that the average person in the UK is on track to spend 4.7 years of their waking life using their phone without any clear purpose. That's the equivalent of around one hour and 26 minutes of unintentional device use every day.

The impact goes beyond lost time, too. Almost three-quarters (74%) of people report experiencing at least one negative effect linked to their device use, from poor sleep and reduced concentration to missing out on important moments with friends and family.

These findings are what sit behind our Digital Wellbeing strategy, which is focused on helping people build healthier, more intentional relationships with technology. The aim is simple: to help people enjoy the benefits of the digital world while feeling more in control of how they spend their time online.

The good news is that taking back control doesn't have to mean giving up technology altogether. A few simple changes can help you develop healthier digital habits, reduce mindless scrolling and create a better balance between life online and offline.

Many online platforms are designed to keep us engaged for as long as possible, with features like infinite scrolling, autoplay videos and push notifications encouraging us to stay connected.

Virgin Media O2's research found that 69% of Brits believe digital platforms are deliberately designed to keep people hooked, while over half say notifications are one of the biggest reasons they keep checking their devices.

In fact, one in three people (37%) say they're addicted to their phones, while 44% say they'd welcome support to help manage their screen time.

Managing screen time isn't just about willpower. Creating healthy routines and making use of the right tools can help you spend less time scrolling and more time on the things that matter.

Here are six practical ways to reduce mindless scrolling, create healthier digital habits and take greater control of the devices connected to your home network.

1. Set screen-free times for the whole family

One of the easiest ways to reduce unnecessary screen time is by agreeing on times when devices are put away. This could be during family meals, an hour before bed, while doing homework or when spending time outdoors together.

Creating regular screen-free moments helps encourage healthier habits and can make it easier to focus on activities that don't involve a display. It can also help children develop a better relationship with technology by showing that screens are just one part of a balanced daily routine.

2. Turn off notifications you don't need

Notifications are designed to grab your attention, and they work.

From social media updates to shopping app alerts, constant notifications can tempt you back onto your device throughout the day, even when you're trying to focus on something else.

Review your notification settings and switch off any alerts that aren't genuinely useful. Reducing digital interruptions can make a surprising difference to how often you pick up your phone.

3. Create tech-free spaces at home

Another simple approach is to establish areas of the home where screens aren't the main focus. Bedrooms, dining tables and family living spaces can all benefit from occasional tech-free time.

For many people, keeping phones out of the bedroom is particularly effective, helping reduce late-night scrolling and creating a better environment for sleep.

4. Schedule screen time with Essential Security

If you'd like more control over when devices can connect to your home broadband, Essential Security can help. It includes features such as content filtering, data protection and parental controls to help families manage internet access more effectively.

Included with your Virgin Media broadband package at no extra cost, Essential Security lets you set screen time limits through My Virgin Media, making it easier to switch off during family meals, homework time or before bed. Because it works across your home broadband connection, it's a simple way to manage internet access for multiple devices from one place.

5. Use parental controls to manage children's screen time

Managing children's screen time can be challenging, especially during school holidays when devices often play a bigger role in keeping everyone entertained.

Virgin Media's parental controls, included with Essential Security at no extra cost, let you manage content across your home broadband by filtering categories of websites and blocking specific sites. Through My Virgin Media, you can manage content access, block specific websites and set timers to help create screen-free periods that work for your family.

As well as helping protect younger users from age-inappropriate content, parental controls can support healthier digital habits by encouraging screen-free time and creating a better balance between online and offline activities.

6. Check how intentional your screen time really is

Ever wondered how much of your screen time is actually intentional? The Digital Intentionality Score is a free interactive tool that helps you measure how intentionally you're using your devices.

The free interactive assessment asks 10 questions about your digital habits and provides a personalised score along with tailored suggestions to help you use your devices more intentionally.

It's a simple way to understand your current habits, see where your time is really going and discover practical steps to help you build healthier digital routines.

Taking control of our time online can often feel easier said than done. That's why we've developed our Digital Wellbeing Strategy which sets out our commitment to helping people build healthier, more intentional relationships with technology.

At the heart of this work is our Digital Wellbeing Manifesto, a commitment to supporting healthier, more intentional relationships with technology. It is built around five core principles: embedding fundamental rights into technology, making responsible product decisions, giving people greater control over their digital lives, supporting a healthier balance between online and offline experiences, and driving progress through research, partnerships and education.

Alongside the manifesto, we're funding the Digital Wellbeing Observatory, a major five-year study with the University of Cambridge. The programme explores how people across the UK use technology, including generative AI, and the impact it has on health and wellbeing through ongoing research, surveys and community engagement.

This is more than a one-off initiative. It's a long-term commitment to improving digital wellbeing from both an individual and systemic perspective. Because as the research shows, building healthier digital habits isn't just about personal choices. It also depends on the technology, products and environments people interact with every day.