Digital Wellness

The latest in self-care is all about taking control of your tech usage.

- Ashley Mateo

TODAY, I’VE SPENT 2 hours and 51 minutes scrolling through Instagram, Twitter, and other apps—and it’s not even dinnertime. I’m not alone. Comscore’s 2017 U.S. Cross-Platform Future in Focus report revealed that to be the exact amount of time the average American spends staring at his or her phone each day. Even scarier: When you add in other types of devices, that time goes all the way up to an average of 10.5 hours a day, according to the 2018 Quarter 3 Nielsen Total Audience Report. Wow is right.

Of course, you probably didn’t need to know average usage numbers to know that we all rely on technology for pretty much everything— navigating our way to new spots, connecting with loved ones, and even finding answers to questions we never knew we’d ask.

“Our devices are bringing us capabilities we’ve never had before,” says BJ Fogg, Ph.D., founder, and director of the Stanford Behavior Design Lab and author of Persuasive Technology. “It’s like a superpower.” Plus, many apps, digital games, and social media make us feel successful. “Some of this technology is designed to make you seem like you’re getting better at something or progressing,” Fogg explains.

And with a feel-good one-two punch like that, why would we ever want to put our phones down? Experts say it can have IRL effects on your relationships, your brain, and even your body.