Digital Wellbeing Healthy Habits for Screens, Notifications and Attention

Newspaper headlines swing between alarm that screens are damaging our minds and reassurance that it is all a panic. The research tells a more nuanced story, and a more useful one.

Large studies of screen use and wellbeing, particularly among young people, have generally found small average associations between overall screen time and mental health, with a good deal of variation. The amount of time seems to matter less than what people do, how they feel while doing it and what it replaces. Using technology to talk to friends, learn, create or relax can be positive. Passive scrolling, constant comparison, exposure to abuse, late-night use that cuts into sleep and compulsive checking can be harmful. Some people are much more affected than others.

What is clearer is that technology can crowd out the things that we know are good for us: sleep, exercise, face-to-face time with others, time in nature, deep concentration and rest. A reasonable approach is to ask not how many hours you spend on screens but whether your use leaves you feeling better or worse, and whether it is helping or harming the things that matter to you.

Many of us are interrupted dozens or hundreds of times a day by buzzes, pings and banners. Each seems trivial, but together they take a toll.

Research on interruptions shows that it takes time to return to a task after being distracted, and that frequent switching reduces the quality of work and increases stress. Notifications are designed to bring you back to an app, and many are there for the benefit of the company, not you. The first step is to take control of them.

Go through your phone's notification settings and turn off alerts from apps that do not need to interrupt you, including most social media, games, shopping and news apps. Keep notifications for things that are urgent or important: messages from people, calendar reminders, security alerts and calls from key contacts. Use do-not-disturb or focus modes to silence the phone for set periods, such as when you are working, eating or sleeping, with exceptions for emergencies. Group non-urgent notifications into a daily summary, if your phone allows it.

Reduce temptation. Remove the apps that you find hardest to resist from your home screen, or from your phone altogether, and use them on a computer instead. Log out after each session, so that using them requires a conscious step. Put your phone in another room when you want to concentrate. Studies suggest that even having a phone visible can draw some attention.

Sleep is one of the areas where the evidence of harm from devices is clearest, though the cause is not simply the light.

Using screens in the hour or two before bed is associated with going to sleep later and sleeping less. Part of the reason is the stimulation: social media, news, messages and games keep the mind active, and the temptation to keep going is strong. Bright light in the evening can also delay the body's natural sleep signals. The effect of blue light specifically appears to be modest compared with the effect of content and of simply staying up, so night modes help a little, but they are not a cure.

Create a wind-down routine. Aim to stop using screens at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed, if you can, and do something calming such as reading, listening to music or a gentle stretch. Charge your phone outside the bedroom, and use a simple alarm clock, so that you are not tempted to check it at night or first thing in the morning. If you use your phone as a sleep aid, choose gentle audio, and set a timer.

If you wake in the night, avoid looking at the phone, which can make it harder to fall asleep again. If you are lying awake worrying, write down your thoughts instead. The ebook on sleep and recovery in this library offers more advice.

Rules that are too strict rarely last. The best boundaries fit your life and protect what matters most to you.

Start by noticing. Look at the screen time reports that your phone already provides, and observe when and why you pick up your devices. Is it habit, boredom, anxiety or a real need? Many people find that a large part of their use is unconscious. Decide what you want from each app, and which uses are valuable to you.

Create device-free zones and times. Common choices are mealtimes, the bedroom, the first hour of the day and time with family or friends. When you are with other people, put the phone away, and give them your attention. Studies have associated phones in conversations with lower feelings of closeness and satisfaction. Share the rules with others, so that everyone agrees.

Replace as well as reduce. If you cut down on scrolling, decide what to do with the time, such as a walk, a book, a hobby or a call to a friend. Use technology for things that enrich your life, such as learning, creating, keeping in touch and entertainment that you have chosen. Take regular breaks from screens for your eyes and body, by looking away every 20 minutes or so, standing up, stretching and moving.

For many people, the biggest source of digital pressure is work. Being reachable at all hours can blur the line between job and life.

The UK does not have a legal right to disconnect, though some employers have their own policies, and working time rules still apply. Within your organisation, discuss expectations: when are you expected to reply, and how urgent are messages? Agree clear channels for urgent issues, such as a phone call, and treat email as non-urgent.

Take practical steps. Remove work email from your personal phone if you can, or turn off its notifications outside working hours. Check email at set times, rather than constantly, and use filters and folders to reduce clutter. Schedule time for focused work in your calendar, and treat it like a meeting. Use your out-of-office message when on leave, and mean it. If you are a manager, set an example by not sending messages late at night, or by scheduling them to arrive in the morning.

If work demands are harming your health, talk to your manager, your HR department or your union. If you are feeling overwhelmed, speak to your GP. The ebook on digital productivity and remote work in this library offers further guidance.

Technology habits are learnt at home, and children notice what adults do far more than what they say.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has advised that, instead of fixed screen time limits, families should focus on what children do on screens, whether it displaces sleep, exercise and relationships, how they feel about it and whether they can stop. Useful questions include: are screens interfering with sleep, schoolwork, friendships or physical activity? Is my child able to stop without distress? Does screen use leave them calmer or more irritable?

Agree family rules together, with age-appropriate input from children, and apply them to adults as well. Keep devices out of bedrooms overnight, make mealtimes phone-free, and set times for technology-free family activities. Take an interest in what children are doing, play with them and talk about what they see. The ebook on keeping children safe online has more practical advice.

Model the behaviour that you want to see. If you check your phone at the table or scroll constantly, children will learn that it is normal. Be willing to admit when you are struggling, and work on it together.