EDITORIAL: Striking a better balance with your screen time a worthy goal amid rise of digital dependency

Have you ever found yourself stuck on the toilet without your phone, wondering what the hell you’re supposed to do for the next few minutes? No? Well, in my defence, I’m not alone in my digital dependency. In the 14 years since Apple released its first iPhone, those little devices have become a ubiquitous part of daily life. Even my father, once one of the most strident opponents of spending too much time on your phone, has developed a habit that would be very hard for him to break. He now has an Instagram account with more than 1500 followers, which is largely dedicated to honouring the memory of Roy Orbison and Harry Chapin. There is a delicious irony in telling him to get off his phone and spend more time with his family. The rise of digital dependency and overuse of these devices has spawned a new tourism trend. When I came across a retreat offering one of WA’s first “digital detox” packages more than five years ago, it seemed a worthwhile story for the newspaper. I decided to give the detox package a go, surrendering my digital devices for 24 hours and focusing on the mindfulness activities on offer at the retreat. It was a worthwhile experience because it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. It showed me how much things had changed since my teenage years, when I coped just fine without a mobile phone. These Easter holidays, why not try to strike a better balance with your screen time?