Give It A Rest

Taking short tech breaks can supercharge your mind and help you make the most of the precious hours in a day. You’ll be happier and healthier for it (and your phone will still be there – we promise)

- Cassie Shortsleeve

We love apps, smartphones and computers. They help us track our sweat sessions, get us from point A to point B and make working from home possible. But we may be too reliant on them. The average person spends just about 11 hours every day with their face glued to a screen. That level of plugging in can be physically taxing – staring down at a screen is torture on your neck. But the biggest impact could be on your mental well-being. Social media overuse is linked to loneliness, in part because when you’re swiping and scrolling, you’re not connecting with others or the world around you. That’s the truth.

The easier-said-than done solution isn’t to ditch your gadgets (come on, we’re not Neanderthals!), but to use them, well, smarter. Facebook and Instagram have lent a hand by launching tools to help users dial back. More recent operating systems from both Apple and Google let you set time limits on apps and track how many minutes (um, hours?) you spend swiping memes.

Your new gig: spend your screen-free time reconnecting with friends, colleagues and yourself. It may feel awkward at first, which is why we’ve created this primer on how to complete some of life’s basics sans tech (you know, the way people used to!).

Have a gadget-free workout

Keeping tabs on your pace or heart rate via tech can boost performance, but the strategies below will help you home in on how you’re moving, what muscles you’re using, and how you feel – which can ensure proper form and reduce injury risk, says biokineticist Dr Joel Martin.

TAKE THE TALK TEST