13/04/2026

LYFE MONDAY | APR 13, 2026 22 Screen time spiral o Do you control your devices or do they control you?

Ű BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR

I N 2026, spending several hours a day on screens is a daily reality for most people. Devices from phones and laptops to TVs and tablets now fill work hours, leisure time and social life. The question then is simple: Are we still in control of our screens or are they controlling us? The numbers point to a steady climb. According to Sci Tech Today , global users now spend about six hours and 45 minutes per day on screens, which is roughly equal to more than 40% of waking time. Across all devices, the average rises to around 7.4 hours daily, with mobile phones contributing to most of the increase. For younger users, the figure is even higher, with some surveys showing teenagers and young adults logging nine hours or more each day. Digital tools reshaping daily life With the pandemic, work moved online and never fully returned to the office, contrary to the narrative of what micromanaging managers are trying to convince others with. Those years saw a clear shift towards social media becoming a major platform for news, entertainment, messaging and work. At the centre of it all, phones sit atop the throne, with SQ Magazine reporting that recent estimates show that the average person spends four to five hours daily on their smartphones. It makes sense, as many people check their devices dozens of times a day, often without thinking. The habit worries researchers,

Doomscrolling has evolved from an online joke in 2018 to become a part of daily life in 2026.

and share, then serve similar content. The goal is simple: Keep users on the screen, scrolling, engaged and locked-in on the “fix”. Like a domino effect, another by-product of the pandemic was how the term “doomscrolling” became popular due to the compulsive, excessive consumption of negative news during that period. Now, it simply refers to the act of endlessly flicking up through TikTok, Instagram and so on. It is a design that can make time disappear quickly. Someone opens an app to check one message and suddenly, minutes turn into an hour of videos, comments and headlines. Most users will only realise how much time has passed after checking their phone’s weekly screen report. Governments, tech companies respond Late last year, a city in Japan introduced a guideline urging its 68,000 residents to limit leisure screen use to two hours a day to protect their sleep and well-being. Once the headline was picked up by international media, the measure sparked debate even if it was not an actual regulatory enforcement. Critics said it interferes with personal choice and free will, while the other side argued that it was long overdue. Meanwhile, on the tech side, companies have begun adding tools like screen-time dashboards, focus modes and app timers. Streaming services such as Netflix pause playback after long viewings, while social platforms will send alerts suggesting its users to take a break from smoking the figurative “social media meth pipe”. However, human behavioural change remains difficult to achieve, particularly regarding this as screens serve many roles at once – from being a tool for work, a hub for entertainment, a communication device to a source for news. To turn them off often means becoming disconnected from daily routines, and for those addicted to them, it would be akin to turning off a life support machine. For many, the issue is not screens themselves, but how they absorb attention and in 2026, screens are everywhere. The real challenge is learning how to step away, even for a moment.

with studies linking heavy screen exposure to eye strain, sleep disruption and reduced focus. In the Digital Screen Time and Myopia review published early last year, researchers found that each additional hour of screen time can increase the risk of childhood myopia by around 21%. Mental health experts have also chimed in to warn about constant digital stimulation, as endless feeds, short videos and push notifications create a cycle that keeps users scrolling. by design Everyone knows that social media platforms and mobile apps rely on engagement. Complex, ever-evolving algorithms track what you watch, like Intentional, not accidental,

Most social media apps such as Instagram have features to track time spent on them. – MARK MATHEN VICTOR/THESUN

The city of Toyoake in Japan urges its residents to limit leisure screen use to two hours a day. – PICS FROM FREEPIK