Hailey Bills Tracks Her Screen Time During Dancing With The Stars
The Season 35 pro dishes on what it really takes to balance social media and the ballroom.
In Chronically Online, Elite Daily asks people to get real about their phone habits by tracking their screen time over seven days. This week, pro dancer Hailey Bills shares the apps that got her through a chaotic week of Dancing With the Stars rehearsals and a quick trip back home to Utah.
When you’re in the ballroom, it’s not just about nailing your choreography. Social media plays a massive role in the reality competition series for both the stars and their partners. “Part of what you do is you interact with people online because you’re asking them to vote for you,” competitor Amber Glenn previously shared with Elite Daily.
Season 35 marks Hailey Bills’ first time as a full-time cast member on the series, and she’s quickly realizing just how much of an impact scrolling has on her day-to-day life. “Even on my days off, TikTok and Instagram are always my go-tos,” says the 20-year-old.
Though she and her partner, Love Thy Nader star Sarah Jane Nader, were eliminated in Week 1, Bills’ schedule hasn't slowed down a bit. She’s still on the floor every single week, dancing with the troupe during Tuesday live shows. Between near-daily rehearsals, industry events, and traveling, she has a lot to keep up with. Below, she dishes on exactly what a week in her life looks like behind the screen.
Occupation: Dancer and choreographer
Age: 20
Location: Los Angeles, California
Weekly Average (Oct. 11-17): 8 hours, 2 minutes
Day 1: Sundays Are For Recharging
After a busy week, Sunday was the perfect day to recharge before doing it all over again. I spent some time scrolling through TikTok, catching up on Instagram, and texting friends and family while having a little downtime. My For You page consists of funny videos, mukbangs, dance, and beauty. Most of the time it’s just videos that make me laugh.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Instagram, Messages
Screen Time: 7 hours, 8 minutes
Day 2: Camera Blocking Day
It was a busy day with Dancing With the Stars camera blocking, so I had a lot going on. I used any little breaks I got to scroll through TikTok and Instagram and catch up on what everyone was up to. I’ve been loving all the content and the different vibes everyone brings this season. Tyler Cameron is so good at TikTok. He just keeps it real and is so funny and relatable. During camera blocking, I was also texting friends and family throughout the day to stay connected with them between everything on my schedule.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Instagram, Messages
Screen Time: 6 hours, 3 minutes
Day 3: Backstage Chaos & Super Bowl Vibes
It’s show day! There was so much happening during Super Bowl Night, so I was definitely on the go all day. Whenever I had a little downtime backstage, I filmed and checked my TikTok. I’ve hosted the DWTS TikTok Live a couple of times during the show. It’s super fun, but you definitely have to find a good rhythm of consistently talking so the viewers don’t get bored. On this night, I also scrolled on Instagram and used Safari to look things up. It was such a busy day, but so fun.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Instagram, Safari
Screen Time: 8 hours, 2 minutes
Day 4: Midweek Decompression
Today was a long rehearsal day, so I was pretty much on the go all day. Whenever I had a quick break, I found myself scrolling through TikTok and Instagram to decompress a little. I find beauty-based content to be super relaxing to watch, like GRWMs and someone’s day-in-the-life vlogs.
I also used Safari on my phone to look things up between everything going on. When I’m searching, I’m finding so many random things. Something that comes to mind is dance inspo. We also film TikToks each week with the latest eliminated cast member. Our content is a group effort. We’ll usually do individual videos and have sort of an idea of what we want it to be, but we also all pitch in ideas as we’re filming. At the end of the day, I had dinner at Din Tai Fung with friends.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Instagram, Safari
Screen Time: 6 hours, 56 minutes
Day 5: A Much-Needed Reset
Having a day off was so nice. I had more time to relax, run errands, and catch up on things outside of rehearsals. On this day, I was restocking food, getting my nails done, replenishing makeup products I’ve run out of, and retouching my hair. I used Maps to get around Los Angeles, and I still found myself scrolling through TikTok and Instagram whenever I had a free minute. I’m obsessed with Jake Shane. He’s currently my favorite creator.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Instagram, Maps
Screen Time: 9 hours, 23 minutes
Day 6: Back To Work, Then Weekend Travel Prep
It was back to rehearsals. There was so much going on, but my phone was still my go-to during any little breaks I got from dancing. I scrolled through TikTok and Instagram to unwind and used Messages to keep up with friends and family. After everything going on, I was definitely ready for the weekend.
I headed home to Utah late Friday night, which was so nice after such a busy week. On the plane, I watched She’s All That on Prime Video — a classic.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Instagram, Messages, Prime Video
Screen Time: 8 hours, 44 minutes
Day 7: Back Home
Between traveling, scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, and catching up on my favorite content, I definitely got plenty of phone time in. During my trip back home, I went to a Brigham Young University football game and documented my time getting back to my roots.
Most Used Apps: TikTok, Instagram
Screen Time: 9 hours, 55 minutes
Final Thoughts: Mindful Scrolling Habits
Tracking my screen time made me realize how often I grab my phone without even thinking about it, especially when I have a few minutes to spare. I definitely want to be a little more mindful of my scrolling, and make the most of my downtime away from my phone.
