The average UK adult spends around 7.5 hours a day on a screen, whether that is a phone, laptop, games console or TV. That figure may even be conservative, particularly for those whose jobs require them to be online. As concern around screen time mounts, the instinctive response has been to demonise it. The reality, however, is more nuanced. As the Guardian's video games editor and author of Super Nintendo: How One Japanese Company Helped the World Have Fun, Keza MacDonald, recently put it: 'Not all screen time is created equal.'
Spending an hour learning a language on Duolingo is not the same as flicking through dozens of short-form videos on TikTok. Video-calling a friend is not equivalent to trolling someone on Facebook. The difference lies in how consciously we engage.
'It's very easy to pick up your phone and spend 40 minutes bouncing between apps and doing nothing in particular,' says MacDonald. 'You're not looking for an experience; you're just filling time.' If you feel like a victim of the algorithm, chances are you are doing too much of the latter.
For many critics, screen time represents an 'evolutionary mismatch'. Our brains simply were not built for the digital environments we now inhabit. But as PhD student of cognition and brain science at the University of Cambridge Tanay Katiyar points out, much of modern life falls into that description: 'Technology can solve problems, but it also introduces new ones.' In other words, screens are not inherently harmful but how we use them matters.
Netta Weinstein, a psychology professor at the University of Reading, draws a distinction between harmonious and compulsive use. If you feel in control and make the choice to watch, play or connect, that can support wellbeing. Conversely, if you feel unable to stop, or use screens to avoid other parts of life, the effect is often the opposite. Here are some simple ways to improve your digital diet.
Swap passive scrolling for active play
Gaming is often lumped in with 'bad' screen time, but a growing body of research suggests it can have cognitive and social benefits. Strategy, action and open-world games, such as Pokémon Go, Red Dead Redemption and Animal Crossing, can support problem-solving, coordination and even neuroplasticity – the brain's ability to adapt and rewire itself as it learns. Meanwhile, multiplayer games such as World of Warcraft can foster genuine friendships and a sense of community among like-minded players across the world.
The distinction does not actually lie in the playing, but in how you relate to what you are doing. Research led by Prof Andrew Przybylski, a psychologist at the University of Oxford who studies the effects of social media and video games on mental health, surveyed nearly 40,000 players and found that gaming itself was not associated with poorer mental health. What mattered was motivation: those who played because they wanted to reported better wellbeing, while those who felt compelled to play by the game itself – think reward loops, constant notifications or fear of missing out among peers – experienced worse outcomes. 'The reason you're playing is the key factor,' he noted, echoing MacDonald's point about intentionality.
'There's a pressure in adulthood to make everything productive,' says MacDonald. 'But play – whether that's sport, board games or video games – is genuinely important.' It can help lower cortisol while triggering dopamine and endorphin release, boosting mood and motivation. Research also suggests that adults who regularly engage in playful activities report higher levels of life satisfaction.
Of course, some games employ the same engagement mechanics as social media platforms, which can erode that sense of choice. That is why MacDonald recommends a simple check-in: each time you log on, ask yourself whether this is truly how you want to spend your time.
Swap viral videos for word workouts
Instead of heading to TikTok when you unlock your phone, consider redirecting that impulse to a word game. Think of it as a workout for your brain: puzzles such as Wordle, Words With Friends and Wordiply engage memory, attention and problem-solving skills, offering a far more active form of screen use.
Research suggests that the more frequently we engage with word puzzles, the better our cognitive function, particularly in areas such as memory, attention, focus and processing speed (that is, how quickly your brain can take in and respond to information). Unlike passive scrolling, these activities demand concentration and build skills over time, while also expanding vocabulary.
Swap isolation for connection and community
'Today, we can move to a different country, pursue new jobs, leave our loved ones behind and still keep in touch,' says Katiyar. 'Without that ability, the mental health impact would be significant. We'd feel far more isolated.'
Platforms such as Reddit, WhatsApp, Instagram, Mumsnet and dating apps like Hinge are easy to criticise – and often rightly so. But they can help foster connection and community, often among people we might never otherwise encounter. For those in marginalised groups, including racial, sexual or gender minorities, this can be especially valuable.
'The digital world can offer opportunities to make connections, build communities and feel understood,' says Weinstein. At a time when almost half of British adults say they experience loneliness – a condition linked to a 27% higher risk of mortality – the idea that we can find our 'tribe' through a screen is powerful.
This is reflected in research suggesting LGBTQIA+ social media users across all age groups find these platforms – and the communities they build there – valuable for embracing their identity and fostering joy and hope for the future. Many say it is easier to be themselves online than offline. Even simple video and text chats are beneficial, particularly for children who feel anxious about speaking to people in real life.
Intention matters, cautions Przybylski. 'Ask yourself whether you're using these platforms for positive, engaging or thought-provoking reasons,' he says. 'Or are you feeling angry and looking to argue with a stranger online? Use these tools with purpose.'
Swap consuming content for creating it
In 2010, at the age of 72, David Hockney turned to his iPad as a new canvas, using an Apple Pencil and the Brushes app to create works as vivid and expressive as his traditional paintings. When some critics dismissed the medium as inferior, he was unfazed. 'People say it's just a gadget,' he said. 'But so is a paintbrush.'
We may not share Hockney's artistic prowess, but his point stands: if creating on a screen is good enough for one of the world's greatest painters, it might just be good enough for the rest of us, too.
Creative tools – from Brushes and Canva to Soundtrap, coding platforms, video editing suites and even writing in Microsoft Word – have made creative expression instantaneous and more accessible. More than that, they can induce a state of flow – a deeply focused mental space where time feels like it falls away and stress levels begin to drop.
Practised regularly, creative activities can boost self-esteem, help process pent-up emotion, and sharpen our capacity to learn. One study of children aged two to three found that finger-painting on a tablet enabled them to produce more diverse marks than traditional materials, potentially helping them develop important skills needed for writing and drawing.
Swap doomscrolling for learning new skills
Screens have made education possible anywhere, at any time. While digital learning does not replace having a good teacher physically present, which remains beneficial for motivation, inspiration and information retention, it can complement it.
Dr Alan Wong, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Surrey, points out that digital tools are especially well suited to the repetition of foundational skills that require practice to be truly mastered. Remember Malcolm Gladwell's rule that it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to master something? Screens make that more achievable, turning a spare 20 minutes on the bus or between meetings into genuine progress.
Language-learning platforms such as Duolingo turn short bursts of screen time into something cumulative, useful and genuinely rewarding. A screen-based lesson can adjust difficulty and pace in real time, break complex information into digestible chunks, repeat exercises as often as needed and tailor the experience to the individual learner. This makes it particularly valuable for building core skills, including languages, maths and reading music.
A growing range of apps put this into practice. Simply Piano offers real-time feedback and personalised lessons, while Skillshare offers classes in graphic design and animation. MasterClass and Create Academy are excellent for developing creative interests – among them a new course from Maria Speake, founder of salvage business Retrouvious, on designing with reclaimed materials. For something more structured, medical scientist Dr Federica Amati leads a six-week course on the science of nutrition at Imperial Business School.
Not all digital learning is equal. A poorly designed course will lose learners quickly, but a thoughtful, well-structured one can prompt reflection, test understanding and keep them engaged, says neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Dr Tamara Russell. Good educational apps deploy features such as gamification, audio, animation and progress tracking to sustain motivation – especially for those who struggle to focus. 'Gamification works for everybody,' says Russell, 'but it can be particularly helpful for brains that are very hungry for dopamine, such as those with ADHD, in order to stay engaged.'
The best results, she adds, come from knowing yourself as a learner – considering not just what you want to learn, but which device suits you best and which environments help you absorb and retain information most effectively. She recommends a mindfulness practice to help you notice where your attention naturally settles into its deepest focus.
