Wellbeing
Slow play
Light games should fit into the gaps of a day, not reshape the day around them. These are the habits our own testers rely on.
Pick the finish before the start
Stopping at a line drawn earlier is much easier than drawing it mid-game. Settle on three levels or twenty minutes, tell someone in the room if it helps, and let a phone timer keep track rather than the corner clock.
Pauses that actually rest
- Twice an hour, let your eyes wander to the far wall or a tree outside
- Get up between levels as well as between sessions
- Keep water within reach and empty the glass before starting another round
- Leave screens alone for the last thirty minutes before bed
Cues to close the tab
Noticing one of these says nothing bad about you. It is simply worth paying attention.
- The fun has gone but your hands keep playing
- Several times this week a sitting ran far past what you had planned
- Being unable to play leaves you short-tempered
- Rest, food, work or friends are getting less of your time
Ask the device to help
Android’s Digital Wellbeing, Apple’s Screen Time and Windows family settings all let you ration a browser, or particular websites, by the day. A cap you set on a calm afternoon is a gift to the tired version of you at eleven at night.
Someone to talk to
When screen habits start colouring your mood, your family doctor is a sensible place to begin. For children and teens in Canada, Kids Help Phone has counsellors around the clock on its phone line, 1-800-668-6868, and its text line, 686868. In a crisis, anyone can reach the 988 line by call or text.