In today’s digital age, the majority of us spend the workday in front of a computer screen, with a study from *Microsoft revealing that 82% of UK jobs require digital skills.
The business comparison experts at Bionic conducted a study to discover just how much the average person spends online in their lifetime, and how much of this time is attributed to our work schedules. To do this they analysed the recommended and reported screen times across different ages and generations.
Brits will spend 25 years online in their lifetime attributed to their career
While laptops and desktops have revolutionised the working day – how much does our screen time at work add up to over a lifetime?
Bionic’s research discovered that during adulthood, Brits spend 223,015 hours online throughout their career, which equates to 9,292 whole days, or 25 years!
Between the legal working age, 16 in the UK and the State Pension age, 66 years old for both men and women, the average person can be working for 50 years. This means that of the entire 50 working years, 50% (25 consecutive years) will be spent looking at a screen.
Brits are becoming aware of the health effects of blue light emitting from screens, with symptoms such as headaches, eyestrain, and poor sleep. In the past year online searches for “blue light glasses for work” have soared 70% as they look to mitigate the impact of their internet usage.
The average adult spends 76% of their waking hours online
Screen time doesn’t end in the office either, as once we log off work, our eyes transition to the glow of smartphones or televisions. The average person is awake for 16-18 hours of the day, and it reported that we spend an average of 13 hours and 2 minutes online each day, Bionic revealed that the average adult spends 76% of their waking hours online.
When calculating what this looks like across a lifetime, taking into consideration the average British life expectancy of 81 years and the average internet usage across different life stages. Bionic revealed the average Brit spends 312,805 hours online in a lifetime, which equates to 36 consecutive years spent looking at a screen.
Four tips for reducing your time online outside of work, according to an expert
Susan Leigh, a counsellor and accredited Stress Management Society member, reveals her simple lifestyle shifts that people can make to reduce their time online outside of work.
- Set a cut-off time when the phone goes away
Have a cut-off time. For example, 9 pm, when you switch off your phone and spend time with family or with a good book.
- Be more efficient when checking updates
Agree to be more time efficient and check your updates, maybe three times a day, first thing, midday and at 6 pm. Unless you’re monitoring an emergency situation there’s unlikely to be something that cannot wait an hour or so.
- When you’re out with friends, stack phones in the centre of the table
Some friendship groups get so fed up with people using their phones when they’re out that they agree to put all phones in the centre of the table. The first one to look has to pay the bill!
- Wean off gradually, and keep your friends informed
If there’s apprehension at being without your phone why not wean yourself off it gradually? Tell the people who need to know where you are so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.