Time to take a break?

When I've done too much scrolling (mainly on stupid links I wouldn't normally give time of day to) I get the physical feeling of having eaten too many toffeesseems bonkers but maybe it's my bod's way of saying stop!

Also I've found that scrolling has affected how I read a newspaper - I read a couple of lines then, unless it really captures my interest, I'm off to the next article.

Despite it's drawbacks though, I can see how useful and connecting it is for OPs with difficulties getting out & about and it doesn't seem to have dimmed anyone's sense of humour

I`m only on Gransnet and whatsapp I don`t need time out as i enjoy the banter etc.

A few years back I took a PT job where we were told that you could not "check your phone" except at breaks and lunches. I could not imagine why anyone would need to "check" their phone more often than that and considered this a reasonable rule. After all, you were there to work.

I saw other employees sneaking their phones out in the loo and could not imagine what was so urgent. It was only later when the smart phones came out that I realised how addicted most people were to their phones, in comparison with me.

I do not envy them. In fact they have my pity and compassion that their NEED to belong/be ncluded/not miss anything is so strong.

I, on the contrary, having spent my life working for one customer or client group after another, have as little contact with other people as possible because they drain me.

My smart phone (which I bought only because the security system would not run on a tablet) is smart enough to stay out of my way unless I need it.

Sounds like a plan FannyC. Another table far away, out of earshot!

nadateturbe

^The news(papers) can be pretty depressing though^

Agree. My OH spends a lot of time depressing himself reading newspapers.
He tries to interest me, I refuse to listen.

Perhaps my DH and I should meet up with you both.
I think that they’d have a smashing time together!
We’d be fine, obviously
Perhaps at another table…

Lucca

You and me both MissA

Make that three of us
for you both x

I agree Aveline, SM has been a lifeline for me.
How sad that some people need to be told they are spending too long online.

I’m with you Aveline.

It said 8 hours a week



Clearly my attention span has been negatively impacted by my time on social media!

To be honest, social media in its many forms has really helped me over recent years. Starting with the isolation of recovery from two knee replacements and a hip replacement plus of course the Covid lockdown I've felt connected to other people the whole time. I've made friends in various forums and, basically, have felt I've been 'speaking' to people at a time when I'd have otherwise been very lonely.

I don't think it's just social media either, I think the news in general is anxiety inducing. We are given too much information for us to cope with, I think.

I like being on facebook to see nice stuff, nice photos of families etc but I still appreciate even that can be anxiety inducing for people. I know I've worked with some young Mums who find it causes them to feel depressed as they don;t live up to facebook standards - even though they live perfectly normal lives iykwim. It is sad really.

I also think mobile phones add to a level of anxiety too. I leave mine at home a lot as i don't need to be contacted so immediately all the time. It isn't necessary

Sorry I think that was a bit of a rant

I'm only on GN and WhatsApp. My DH is always on FB having disagreements over politics and every other subject under the sun. Its not for me.
However, it can be a lifeline for those who live alone or are unable to get out.

Doodledog

I think that SM can be lifelines for a lot of people, a ‘hobby’ or pastime for others, and yes, an addiction for some.

I don’t think we can extrapolate our own experience onto others, though. 8 hours a day on SM might be a shocking idea to someone who works, or who is out and about a lot; but to the housebound, or to someone living alone they can offer different views of life, and a chance to connect with others that might be otherwise unavailable. I think that interaction on SM can be a lot ‘healthier’ than getting one’s views from newspapers and/or broadcast media, yet I know several people who think that reading the Guardian and listening to R4 news means that they are better informed.

Sometimes, and about some things, maybe - our experience of SM are limited to the range of contacts we have on there - but IMO chatting to people who are living through things that are simply being reported in the press can be a lot more enlightening than reading or listening to mediated accounts. Look at the thread on here about claiming benefits, for instance. People who don’t have experience of the benefit system are going to learn more from that than if they read an article in a newspaper, whether that article is supportive towards claimants or otherwise, and crucially they can ask questions if there is anything that they don’t understand or want to know. That’s just one example, the same is true of so many other topics, so long as people don’t screen out views that oppose their own.

It said 8 hours a week Doodledog

It's like the hotel California, Lucca.

You and me both MissA

I agree.
Is there a button I can,press?

Honestly, scrolling around gransnet is as much as I am able to do at the minute, in order to get some human interaction.

I think that SM can be lifelines for a lot of people, a ‘hobby’ or pastime for others, and yes, an addiction for some.

I don’t think we can extrapolate our own experience onto others, though. 8 hours a day on SM might be a shocking idea to someone who works, or who is out and about a lot; but to the housebound, or to someone living alone they can offer different views of life, and a chance to connect with others that might be otherwise unavailable. I think that interaction on SM can be a lot ‘healthier’ than getting one’s views from newspapers and/or broadcast media, yet I know several people who think that reading the Guardian and listening to R4 news means that they are better informed.

Sometimes, and about some things, maybe - our experience of SM are limited to the range of contacts we have on there - but IMO chatting to people who are living through things that are simply being reported in the press can be a lot more enlightening than reading or listening to mediated accounts. Look at the thread on here about claiming benefits, for instance. People who don’t have experience of the benefit system are going to learn more from that than if they read an article in a newspaper, whether that article is supportive towards claimants or otherwise, and crucially they can ask questions if there is anything that they don’t understand or want to know. That’s just one example, the same is true of so many other topics, so long as people don’t screen out views that oppose their own.

The news(papers) can be pretty depressing though

Agree. My OH spends a lot of time depressing himself reading newspapers.
He tries to interest me, I refuse to listen.

Oh goodness, I do my online Family tree as well!

Oh dear, I’m on here a few times a day ( just to have a peek) FB once a day in the evening.
Emails a few peeks during the day.
We have a family chat thingy , once a day.
Phone calls from family in the evenings.
And I read the online newspapers.
Plus I have the word games
Scrabble with my cousin
3 other games I do once a day
But I also garden, clean the house, do laundry, crafting.
I’m surprised I can fit it all in!
My iPad tells me how many hours a day I spend on it- I turned the function off!
But we are away next week, so hopefully we will be too busy sight seeing and sitting on a chilly beach to use the ipad too much.

Polly73

I think it said 8 hours a week, Casdon, which, actually, doesn’t seem that much

Sorry, you’re right Polly73, and no, it doesn’t seem that much, I wouldn’t have thought it would have a negative effect on most people,

My grandson had all his devices taken away for a week after some particularly challenging behaviour.
Not only was he a much happier and well behaved little boy, but when the week was up he didn’t ask for it back.
Trying to separate the twelve year old from Her iPad might be more difficult.

More people are addicted to scrolling than they realise.
I became aware of this habit last year. Now I see it wherever I go: people are just scrolling and scrolling not necessarily actually reading anything.
Btw I don’t mean I have the habit. It’s been talked about and documented for some time.

I think it said 8 hours a week, Casdon, which, actually, doesn’t seem that much

I don’t have unpleasant interactions on social media or things that induce anxiety or depression. It’s easy to avoid.

The news(papers) can be pretty depressing though.