Balancing Your Time Online
Topic area
Excessive internet use
Target age group
Lesson duration
Middle Secondary
Lesson Overview
Too much time spent online can negatively impact the physical and mental health of children and teens.
This lesson addresses those impacts and delivers ways to bring a healthy balance back into the lives of
young people.
This lesson includes four short activities. Teachers can select a single activity or multiple activities to
make up the recommended 45 minutes, depending on what they feel is appropriate to their class.
Lesson outcomes

Define ways in which time spent online can become excessive

Assess the negative physical and mental impacts of too much time online

Take steps toward moderating screen time

Create internet usage planning
Australian Curriculum
This lesson plan module supports a number of learning areas in the Australian Curriculum, including
Health and Physical Education, Civics and Citizenship and Technologies.
Activity 1
Page
Subject focus
Debate/
Discussion
4
Motivation, impacts
and remedies for
excessive technology
use
Activity 2
Page
Subject focus
Reading /
Research /
Speaking Activity
6
Facts about
excessive internet
and technology use
Activity 3
Page
Subject focus
Personal Audit
9
Auditing time spent
online
Activity 4
Page
Subject focus
Visual Activity/
Writing Activity
11
Balancing aspects of
life
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 1
Duration
Resources requ ired
Worksheet 2, internet access
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 3, Worksheet 4, Worksheet 5,
pen
Duration
Resources required
Pen and paper
External links included in lesson
Nil
enquiries@esafety.gov.au
Balancing Your Time Online
Technology and Terminology referred to in this lesson
Internet, television, smartphones, tablets, laptops, online, trending, clan, instant messaging, webcam
chatting, word processing, text messaging, multimedia messaging, apps, ringtones, web address.
This work is based on materials that constitute copyright of the Commonwealth of Australia and is
licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 2.5 Australia Licence.
See https://esafety.gov.au/about-the-office/privacy-and-legal for more information.
2
3
Balancing Your Time Online
Background
Between smartphones, tablets and laptops, children and teens are consuming many hours of
screen time a day.
Unless a good balance of time off and online can be maintained, this use can begin to feel
oppressive and excessive, and interfere with a person’s physical and mental health.
Studies have shown a range of both positive and negative effects from increased internet use.
It is important that young adults learn to make suitable and conscious choices about their level of
internet use. Uncontrollable internet use may be a sign of pathological or ‘addicted’ internet use.
It is important that students are aware of this issue, and are able to make sound choices in an
environment where technology is all around them.
Young people often have less supervision and more control in online environments than they
would usually experience.
It is important to empower younger internet users with the tools to identify and rectify excessive or
compulsive internet use, as well as an understanding of potential consequences on their physical
or mental health, which they or their peers may experience.
Balancing Your Time Online
4
Activity 1: Debating balanced use
Activity 1
Page
Subject focus
Debate/
Discussion
4
Motivation, impacts
and remedies for
excessive technology
use
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 1
In this activity, students are asked to discuss and debate the motivations, effects and remedies of
excessive internet and technology use. The debates can be more or less formal, depending on
the group size and other classroom factors.
Instructions
Print out Worksheet 1, cut out the debate topics and distribute them to groups in your class.
If there are specific issues which affect your students, focus on those topics, or feel free to write
your own topics and talking points.
The debates are designed to be rapid and multi-directional, with more than two groups debating
the topics as they appear on the debating cards (with each team advocating the view expressed
on one of the cards), rather than simple affirmative/negative debates. This allows more points to
be raised and discussed in a shorter period of time.
Teams should discuss their topic and key points before beginning and you may choose to allow
teams some time to research facts and figures to support their case where time permits.
Teacher’s Tip: Remind students that they may not necessarily agree with the statements,
but should try to make the best argument to support their allocated perspective.
Teacher’s Tip: Students may have insight and opinions on these points and topics without
conducting extensive research. In expressing this personal knowledge, students will
naturally direct the discussion and debate towards issues and perspectives which are
relevant to them.
Discussion Points
These points are provided on Worksheet 1 for easy distribution to class groups.
What motivates excessive use?




Modern social life is predominantly online – it is important to be connected and keep up with
trending culture and friends in real time.
Complex modern entertainment requires commitment to participation. In order to get the most out
of online gaming experiences, players must be available and commit to their online friends, teams
and clans.
The ability to access factual information at any time and in real time is the key to competitive
academic and economic success.
Staying current with constant updates from friends and celebrities enriches and informs our
behaviour in beneficial ways.
Balancing Your Time Online
What are the impacts of excessive use?




The most important impact of excessive internet use is physical.
The most important impact of excessive internet use is psychological.
The most important impact of excessive internet use is social.
The most important impact of excessive internet use is developmental.
What are the remedies for excessive internet use?




Adults should moderate the internet and technology use of those under 16.
It is up to the individual to decide on the best level and balance of internet and technology use to
suit their needs and desires.
Technology should be designed in a way that blocks excessive use, and internet service providers
should support this with limitations on internet access.
There is no problem with significantly increased levels of internet use.
5
Balancing Your Time Online
6
Activity 2: Research task
Activity 2
Page
Subject focus
Reading /
Research /
Speaking
Activity
6
Facts about
excessive internet
and technology use
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 2, internet access
This activity requires students to use the internet for research in order to answer questions and
verify the validity of statements about excessive time spent online.
Instructions
1. Divide the class into groups of two or three students, each with access to internet search tools
2. Distribute Worksheet 2 directly to all students
3. Allow ten minutes for students to research and record their answers
4. Working through the list as a class, have a representative from each group report their
answers.
5. Discuss the possible answers schedule.
Answer key and notes for teachers:
Number Question
Answers
1
What is the difference between
excessive and compulsive internet
use?
Excessive internet use generally refers to
an amount of use that is becoming
distressing, unsettling or disruptive to the
user, whereas compulsive use refers to
an inability to control or reduce use at all.
2
What does the term ‘sleep hygiene’
mean?
Term most commonly used to describe
good sleep habits, especially ways of
preparing the room, bed and body for
sleep.
3
How might internet use affect sleep?
Excessive screen time and absorbing
artificial light at night can affect natural
body rhythms and hormones such as
melatonin; social activity can continue well
into the night with no natural end time;
social or gaming activity is very stimulating
to the brain and can make it hard to ‘wind
down’.
Balancing Your Time Online
7
Number Question
Answers
4
Why is excessive internet use linked to
depression and anxiety?
A variety of studies link excessive use of
the internet, particularly social networking
and gaming, with increased feelings of
loneliness, isolation, depression and
anxiety. The feelings of shame or loss of
control experienced by excessive use of
anything are enough to promote anxiety.
5
How is physical wellbeing adversely
affected by excessive time spent online?
In general, excessive time engaged in any
sedentary activity adversely affects
physical health. Ways specific to
excessive internet use include poor
posture, potential for repetitive strain injury
(RSI), and sleep interference.
6
Why is it important to maintain a variety
of relationships and interests?
A variety of relationships and interests
help individuals maintain good mental
health by providing insulation or support if
an issue with one group of friends, job,
school, activity, or family member
becomes difficult to manage.
7
Define the concepts of ‘balance’ and
‘moderation’ with regard to mental and
physical health.
In general, a balanced or moderate
approach allows for a variety of interests
and activities so that no single activity,
pursuit, food, or relationship becomes
problematic through excessive use.
Teacher’s Tip: Explain to students that
there is no problem with internet use,
only excessive use, and the same
applies to activities promoted as
healthy pursuits such as exercise – it is
a lack of balance that is the problem.
8
Who is at risk of spending too much time
online?
Everyone, from young children to adults,
is at risk of experiencing the adverse
effects of excessive internet use.
Balancing Your Time Online
8
Number Question
Answers
9
How would you know if your internet use
was affecting your life in negative ways?
Feeling out of control, friends or family
expressing concern, losing touch with
friends or friendship groups except for
those online, feeling your physical or
emotional health was compromised by
many hours spent online, feelings of guilt
or shame surrounding internet usage,
increasing loneliness, anxiety or
depression – there are many ways in
which excessive internet use may affect
life in a negative way.
10
What’s one way to address an excessive
use of the internet in someone’s life?
These typically include talking to
someone, asking for help, setting
achievable goals for gradually reducing
time online, keeping a log of actual time
spent online, imposing ‘black out’ periods
where online usage is stopped and letting
friends know when you are cutting back.
Teacher’s Tip: Access
www.kidshelpline.com.au.
Balancing Your Time Online
9
Activity 3: Lifestyle audit and reflection
Activity 3
Page
Subject focus
Personal Audit
9
Auditing time spent
online
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 3, Worksheet 4, Worksheet
5, pen
Instructions
Distribute Worksheets 1, 2 and 3 and allow students sufficient time (5 to 10 minutes) to fill them
out. Discuss the results with the class.
Discussion Questions
What did your audit reveal?
Was any amount of time unreasonable or longer than expected?
Which types of activities and interactions lead you towards internet use? When online, which
types of activities appeal to you?
How important is technology to you compared to other activities?
How much time are you spending on the computer for homework or socialising? How do these
figures compare to time spent on these activities offline?
Teacher’s Tip: Encourage sharing ideas such as search strategies or reputable sites to
use the internet effectively for homework.
Overall, do you feel you have the right activity balance? How do you know?
Is peer pressure a factor in increased online presence and activities?
Does this impede your ability to complete other activities?
Teacher’s Tip: Explore the fact that everyone is different in terms of study styles. Some
people seem to do better with regular breaks from study for social interaction, while
others are better off completing larger amounts of study before taking a break.
Teacher’s Tip: Encourage the class to share strategies for managing social and homework
demands online.
What do your friends and family think about the time you spend online or using smartphones?
Does anyone feel they are spending too much time on one internet-based activity?
What are the indicators that somebody might be spending too much time on one activity?
Teacher’s Tip: Explore as a class how to identify what an ‘acceptable time’ would be. What
are the key factors?
What times of the day or evening are you engaged in these activities?
Explore whether there are issues arising for any students because of the timing of online
activities.
Balancing Your Time Online
Are there examples of friends or family who seem to be spending too much time online? What
does that look like?
How do you help someone who is spending too much time online?
You may wish to brainstorm practical strategies to change students’ approach to online
activities if the class feels this is necessary.
Teacher’s Tip: On the board, supply the class with details of the school counsellor, as well
as the web address for the Kids Helpline (kidshelpline.com.au) explaining that they can
receive free and confidential online help if they feel lost, out of control or troubled by
excessive use of an online technology.
Optional Extension
You may wish to ask your students to calculate daily or weekly percentages of time spent on
each activity. With these percentages established, students can create pie charts, graphs or other
visual representations of their activity allocations. This may help some students understand
where their time is spent and compare their results with other students.
10
Balancing Your Time Online
11
Activity 4: Balancing aspects of our lives
Activity 4
Page
Subject focus
Visual Activity/
Writing Activity
11
Balancing aspects of
life
Duration
Resources required
Pen and paper
Instructions
1. Ask students to draw a series of symbols, characters, or other visual representations of the
following aspects of their lives:






Self (the physical body and the mental state)
Friends
Family
School
Job or physical group such as sporting club, band etc.
Online friends / groups (this may include online gaming groups or forum populations where the
student does not have friendship or interaction with these people outside the online environment)
Students should leave plenty of space near or above each visual element.
2. Now ask students to give each of these aspects of their lives a ‘voice’. Students can draw
speech bubbles, thought bubbles or other indicators to express the messages they receive
from different areas of their lives concerning their internet use.
Teacher’s Tip: It may be useful to draw an exemplar on the board.
3. Reflect on the results with students;
Is your ‘Self’ saying it needs more time for sleep, exercise and quiet? Does it feel
threatened or pressured by your online identity? Or do you engage in creative use
of technologies such as blogging or photography that serves the true ‘Self’ and
makes you happy?
What about ‘Friends’ or ‘Family’? What are these elements saying about your time
spent online? Are your friends requiring too much time from you online? Or is their
amount of individual time spent with you offline suffering? What about your family?
Would you like more offline interaction with them? Are they concerned about how
much time you spend online?
Does ‘School’ think you are neglecting it or is it congratulating you on using online
technologies to find useful information?
4. Ask students to consider and depict how we might respond to those voices. Can we respond
to those messages in ways which result in a different balance of internet use? How much
influence should we allow each of those voices to have in our decision making about time
spent online?
Teacher’s Tip: Remind students that balance is key to this exercise, as each of these
spheres of our lives are important for us to be healthy and happy.
WORKSHEET 1: DEBATING BALANCED USE
What motivates excessive use?
Modern social life is predominantly online
– it is important to be connected and keep
up with trending culture and friends in real
time.
Complex modern entertainment requires
commitment to participation. In order to get
the most out of online gaming experiences,
players must be available and commit to
their online friends, teams and clans.
The ability to access factual information at
any time and in real time is the key to
competitive academic and economic
success.
Staying current with constant updates from
friends and celebrities enriches and
informs our behaviour in beneficial ways.
What are the impacts of excessive use?
The most important impact of excessive
internet use is physical.
The most important impact of excessive
internet use is psychological.
The most important impact of excessive
internet use is social.
The most important impact of excessive
internet use is developmental.
What are the remedies for excessive internet use?
Adults should moderate the internet and
technology use of those under 16 years.
It is up to the individual to decide on the
best level and balance of internet and
technology use to suit their needs and
desires.
Technology should be designed in a way
that blocks excessive use, and internet
service providers should support this with
limitations on internet access.
There is no problem with significantly
increased levels of internet use.
WORKSHEET 2: RESEARCH ACTIVITY
Using the internet for research, find an article or academic study, which answers the question in
the left-hand column. Write a sentence or two for your answer, along with the web address of
your source for verification.
Number Question
1
What is the difference between
excessive and compulsive internet use?
2
What does the term ‘sleep hygiene’
mean?
3
How might internet use affect sleep?
4
Why is excessive internet use linked to
depression and anxiety?
5
How is physical wellbeing adversely
affected by excessive time spent online?
6
Why is it important to maintain a variety of
relationships and interests?
7
Define the concepts of ‘balance’ and
‘moderation’ with regard to mental and
physical health.
8
Who is at risk of spending too much time
online?
9
How would you know if your internet use
was affecting your life in negative ways?
10
What’s one way to address an excessive
use of the internet in someone’s life?
Answer and web address
WORKSHEET 3: LIFESTYLE AUDIT
Name: ____________________________________________________
Perform an audit on your daily activities by filling in the table below. Extra spaces have been
provided for you to add any other activities you do each day.
Activity
Eating
Sleeping
Socialising
Working
Being active
Relaxing
Studying
Total hours
Details of activity
Hours per day
WORKSHEET 4: TECHNOLOGY AUDIT
Name: ____________________________________________________
Estimate how much time you spend on the following activities each week. There are some blank
boxes for you to add any activities not listed.
Activity
Searching online – for fun
Searching online – for homework
Sending emails
Instant messaging
Webcam chatting
Social Networking
Watching and sharing video content
Word processing and tasks for homework
Playing games
Sending texts
Sending pics
Making phone calls
Downloading apps and ringtones
Listening to music
Taking and editing photos or video
Total Hours
Time spent on
computer
Time spent on
mobile device
WORKSHEET 5: SELF REFLECTION
Name: ____________________________________________________
1. How much time am I spending on these activities for entertainment?
2. How much time am I spending on the computer for homework?
3. Do I sometimes mix homework and entertainment? Does this have an impact on homework?
4. Am I doing other offline activities to balance how much time I am spending online?
5. Am I spending too much time on one internet-based activity?
6. What times of the day or evening am I engaged in these activities? Do I have time to rest,
eat and do offline activities?
7. Do I need to change how I allocate my time to online and offline activities? Why?