OUR SCARY AMOUNT OF TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA... TWO WRITERS ON HOW IT DOMINATES THEIR DAY
A new Ofcom report has claimed that adults spend almost half their day checking social media, watching TV or playing video games. We asked two writers to come clean about their time online
Total daily screen time: 8 hours
Ihave never really thought about how much time I spend online until I was asked to think about it for this article. I know my family would argue I am always online in some shape or form but in my defence, I have always said I need to be for work.
But do I really? The last thing I do at night before I go to sleep is check my phone. I have it beside my bed and if I can’t sleep I will be on it during the night at stupid o’clock talking to others in the same sleep deprived boat.
I have to admit, I got a shock when I started to weigh up how much time I spend online.
Yes, work is my excuse — as a journalist some of my best ideas and contacts come from Facebook and Twitter.
I’m constantly reading feeds and comments to see what people are up to and if they have a story to tell.
I read blogs, articles and news feeds to keep up to date with news and happenings. Well that’s what I tell myself and anyone else who asks.
But, am I just nosey and afraid of missing out on something? Or is it just a habit I have got into?
Then, often when I’m checking emails, flash sales will appear from some of my favourite shops and I find myself wandering onto
‘I’m always checking feeds to see what is being said and if people have a story to tell’
these sites and doing some window shopping, and if the sale is good I will also shop online.
I admit that I am on first name terms with the parcel delivery guy!
But I do need to keep up to date for work and I constantly read what is going on in the world and make new contacts.
Do I really need to be doing it 24/7 and what sort of example am I setting my three sons who I constantly berate for being on their phones all the time?
My mobile is never out of reaching distance. I never leave the house without it even just to go to the shop.
Am I addicted to an online world? I hope not. I’m not a big sharer so I don’t tend to spend nights out putting my personal business all over the internet.
My other half doesn’t do social media of any kind and doesn’t understand my constant need to be checking up on the world.
As well as work, I use social to keep in touch with good friends. My best friend, Aine, moved to Australia with her husband and five sons a few years ago and we use Facebook messenger to catch up and have a chat every week.
I’d be lost without that contact as I miss her dearly and we check in on each other late at night for me and early morning for her every weekend.
I also chat to other friends who live that little bit further away or who I don’t see often.
I was amazed a few weeks ago when it was my birthday at the amount of people who took the time out to wish me a happy birthday or to private message me.
The cards have got fewer over the years but the well wishes more and I have to admit it was a nice feeling knowing that so many people took time out to contact me.
I’m not very good at checking on whose birthday it is and sending messages.
I also go online a lot to listen to music. I will hear a song on the radio or be in the mood to listen to a certain band and I will go on YouTube to watch their videos.
So, I guess that racks up my online time too but I am usually doing something else as well as listening to the music — so does that really count?
Writing this has made me think about the amount of time I do flit between Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and my emails. It is, I have to admit, a lot. What’s the worst that could happen if I didn’t check them for a few hours? Well, I might just miss out on that post which would lead to my next story idea or a vital email from the editor commissioning me to think about how I am spending my time.
My resolve therefore is to try and spend less time online at nights and weekends — apart from my chats with friends.
To spend more time focusing on those around me and less on contacts on my phone. To meet long-lost friends and family for coffee and to spend proper quality time with them.
Now, I just need to Whatsapp them to meet up...