times the amount of work now than in the days when I had to type it and fax it. Online banking is useful, too, when you're in the middle of nowhere! Paul: Quick access to news: I haven't bought a paper or book in years, I read digital versions on my Kindle. Tech has made a difference to everyone we must be better off with it. Lucy: Without technology, I wouldn't have built the business I have. Also, I met my partner online even before the days of Tinder. That's changed my life for the better. And what about negative aspects? Lucy: l've been subjected to abuse. Recently, I was called 'fat' and 'ugly' in a comment on a post l'd written about body empowerment. I've been in tears and wonder why I let someone else's words affect me and my mental health. At times, l've had to take a break from it. Last year, I was struggling with bad skin and some of the comments hit me hard, as I was already self-conscious about it. It's part of the industry I'm in, but I shouldn't have to get used to that. Emma: At school, I had problems with people making mean comments on my Facebook posts, just because they didn't like them Any tech you can't live without? Paul: Loads - phone, laptop... I take my Kindle everywhere. And online Sally: I can live without my mobile looked at that, and it's a bit worrying. banking. No more posting cheques! phone, but not my laptop. I still like Lucy: Seven-and-a-half hours on my Lucy: I need my phone for work. Also, to read papers and books, but I have phone. I use it for work then I go my other half lives away Monday to also taught myself a few Charleston home and use it a lot... And that's not Friday, so we Face Time. l'd sworn off steps by watching YouTube having a Kindle but now I think they're Emma: My phone. I don't have a TV amazing I read 18 books on a trip to at uni, so I watch YouTube videos on "l'm on my pnone as Mexico. It saves so much space and my phone- with so much new content can download them wherever I am very day, I never get bored. I'm also including time spent on my Mac. much as I'm sleeping 65% OF UNDER 35s CHECK THEIR PHONES WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF WAKING obsessed with social media. When I study, I put my phone on the other side of the room but I check it if I think I've had a notification. If I had to give it up, I'd worry I was missing out. What's your average screen time? how it adds up' It's scary how much it adds up I'm on my phone as much as I am sleeping ON AVERAGE, PEOPLE Emma: It depends on how busy I am, Have you ever done a digital detox? IN THE UK CHECK THEIR PHONES EVERY Even when I'm sitting with my 12 MINUTES OF THE WAKING DAY* but at least nine or 10 hours a day. flatmates, we're all on our phones. Paul: Four-and-a-half hours a day, on average. This is the first time l've Sally: My life is a digital detox. I could easily go a whole week as long as I had a landline. One time, someone cut our internet cable and we were out for two weeks. I felt perfectly free. 98 I ASDAGOODLIVING.CO.UK Source: ofcom.org.uk A Decade of Digital Dependency, 2 August 2018