Most Triangle residents spend a lot of time glued to screens: TVs, computers, laptops, tablets and phones.

May 5-10 is National Screen-Free Week, a great time to take a moment to unplug, says Organizing Professional Janice Russell.

"People trying to increase productivity often spend more time with screens, not less," said Russell, president of Minding Your Matters. "But in truth, stepping away once in awhile can actually improve your workflow."

According to some recent data from Google, 90 percent of all media interactions are screen-based. In addition, the average person is spending 4.4 hours of our leisure time in front of screens each day. Of course, that's just leisure time and doesn't include work. Studies show increasing time spent with screens is harmful to the eyes and to our general health.

Whether you can take a week off or just a few extra minutes each day, Russell offers these tips for stepping away from the screen:

-Try a screen-free lunch. Take a yoga class, take a walk, or sit across the table from a friend or colleague over a meal — no devices allowed.

-Don't reach for the phone first thing in the morning. Productivity experts suggest you actually spend the first five minutes of your day sitting up straight, breathing deeply, and focusing your mind for the day ahead. "If that's not your thing, at least take that first five minutes to lie in bed and wake up a little, without a device," Russell suggests.

-Implement a "no screens at the dinner table" rule so you and your family can spend time talking. Family dinners at least four times per week have positive effects on child development, along with increased high school graduation rates and a lower risk of obesity, substance abuse and eating disorders.

-Turn screens off at least 30 minutes before bedtime to promote better sleep. Late night screen time can affect your circadian rhythms.

-Look for an activity or hobby once or twice a week in the evenings that doesn't require a screen, such as hiking, scrapbooking, quilting, game night with friends or anything else.

"Life is short. Why not spend more time with people doing things rather than reading online about what they are doing?" Russell said.