Is your phone costing you two hours a day?

For a lot of people being accessible 24/7 can turn from a gift to a curse. The same technology that allows world-tripping “digital nomads” to work from a beach in Thailand also allows your boss to email you with questions about work while you are on the same Thai beach.

A 2012 survey found that most people checked their emails while on holiday and made calls to the office. In fact, mobile phones and tablets cut into our leisure time by staggering amounts, a similar study found that people can add up to two hours each day checking and using email on their phones – that’s 460 extra hours of work each year.

No-one wants to work more and those extra hours come directly out of family time, leisure time and the all-important rest and relaxation time. Overwork and stress are growing modern epidemics and our “always connected” culture plays a big part in that.

We can’t even escape these downsides when we are asleep. Use of mobile phones, tablets and laptops too close to bedtime damages the length and quality of our night’s rest. The blue light emitted from their screens causes the body to stay awake longer and have difficulty falling asleep.

A lack of sleep can in turn contribute to diabetes, obesity and depression, as well as make it harder to recover from stress. Feeling tired the next day can lead to accidents, being less alert and less productive. That can start the cycle again, working later and resting less.

There are other health risks from constantly being accessible by mobile phone. The electromagnetic field your phone produces has been shown to cause a decrease in both sperm production and sperm health as radiation passes through the body – especially when phones are carried in trouser pockets close to sensitive areas.

But you can regain control of your phone. On the health side, an anti-radiation case like WaveWall blocks harmful radiation from entering your body without interfering with using the phone. Set limits about when you will check work emails and enjoy your hard earned downtime. Get ready to enjoy all those extra free hours!

Do you use your phone for work when you are on holiday or at home?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below!