Why Active Adventures Could Be the Answer to Screen-Free Time
In the UK, most of us spend too much time looking at screens. If you take mobile phone and television time together, the daily average for screen time is now around 7.5 hours, and that’s not including the computer screens we look at for work purposes.
An active holiday can be a great antidote to this problem. It can allow you to unplug from the digital world and give your mind a much-needed break from constant engagement and digital stimulation.
Why Screen-Free Time Matters
There are a number of well-documented links between excess screen time and negative health outcomes. You might find that your family has become more anxious or that it’s more difficult to hold a conversation because of depleted attention spans.
If most of your conversation is conducted asynchronously, using text messages on services like WhatsApp, then you might find that you’re more frustrated and unfulfilled by the conversations you do have. This is because these channels don’t come with the subtle vocal cues and body language that our minds are adapted to cope with.
Rediscover Connection Through Activity
When you share an activity with those close to you, you’ll be able to bond – and talk about what you’re doing. You’ll be able to face challenges as a group and emerge on the other side. In short, you’ll be able to thrive. Sometimes, this means sharing a laugh or two – in other cases, it means working together to solve a common problem.
Precisely which activity you prefer might depend on your preferences. You might go on a cycling trip through the Scottish Highlands or a group hike in Snowdonia. Or, you might even prefer ski holidays in France. Learning a new skill together can be enormous fun if you pick an activity that everyone loves.
Health Benefits You’ll Notice
If you’re active, then you’re generally healthier. When you’re on the move all day, you’ll get better fitness, provided that you’re entering into the activity with the required basic level of fitness. You might find that you feel fitter and healthier and that you have more energy available to apply to other aspects of life.
Making Active Adventures Work for You
In an active holiday, exercise forms part of the experience. If you pick a form of exercise you love, then you might find that it doesn’t feel like such a chore.
Of course, you’ll also need to make sure that the rest of your group is as enamoured of your chosen activity as you are. Involving everyone at the planning stages means you’ll typically be rewarded with greater enthusiasm.
Conclusion
An active break doesn’t need to be a monastic screen-free week away. You don’t need to do away with your phone entirely to get the benefits – you just need to buy back a few hours and to use your phone in a deliberate way. Monitor your screen time and that of your nearest and dearest; you might find that the benefits are considerable!
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