We spend about a quarter of all waking time per day.

Over 5 years, time spent on screens has increased at least 30%.

Gadgets allow us to stay connected, learn and receive information. But the price we pay for it is erosion of our attention.

Application algorithms are designed to command the user’s attention. The risks are especially high for children and teenagers. How do screens affect them?

Constant distraction. Children find it difficult to ignore notifications.

Switching between applications, worsening attention span.

Aversion to delays. Children want to be stimulated constantly and cannot cope with the discomfort of waiting.

FOMO. The fear of missing out on something new makes a child compulsively stick to the phone.

For many, being glued to the phone is already automatic behavior, and it takes effort to overcome it. Here’s something you can do as a family:

1. Discuss how much time per day to spend on a gadget. Use activity tracking apps and discuss the results.
2. Keep gadgets out of the room while sleeping.
3. Turn off notifications.
4. Stop obsessively checking your phone and help each other with this. Set a time to read the news.
5. Put your phone away while eating, while walking, or with your family…
6. Avoid passive scrolling, discuss what feelings it leads to (boredom, fatigue).
7. Make a list of interesting offline activities – and fill them with moments when your hands reach for your phone.

Screens steal children’s attention. Research shows that attention span has dropped from 150 seconds in 2004 to about 47 seconds today. It is important to teach a child to consciously interact with the flow of information. Animago CBT coachs teach this to children from 3 years old, developing skills of self-control, time management and attention management.

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