It might feel longer, but we’re just two weeks into the new year, and many are still resolving to make some lifestyle changes. A popular one every year is to spend less time with technology. We’ve been depending on tech more than ever for work and socializing during the COVID-19 pandemic, though.
Some families are finding that it’s a necessity even so, as reflected in research done by Circle, which focuses on screen-time management solutions. Circle surveyed 2,000 parents of school-age children and found 80% thought their kids would benefit mentally and physically from time away from tech (see the full infographic below).
Two-thirds of respondents to the survey said that their children seemed just as stressed as they did in 2020, and 64% found that they were more irritable after time spent with screens. Of course, with school being predominantly online for kids this past year, taking a break from screens is not as much an option as it once was.
Almost three-quarters of parents who responded to the Circle survey had adopted screen-time rules, with the majority wishing they had done it earlier in the pandemic. Going forward, 70% expressed an interest in a reasonable solution of making screen time more active and creative. PCMag has some suggestions, including socially distanced ways to visit museums and turning your kitchen into an ersatz America’s Test Kitchen.
