Digital Wellbeing in 2025: Taking Back Control of Your Tech Time

Six hours and thirty‑eight minutes. That is how long the average European adult now spends online each day (DataReportal, 2025). In other words, about forty percent of our waking hours are spent looking at a screen. When technology absorbs that much attention, digital wellbeing stops being an optional “nice‑to‑have” and becomes a public‑health priority.

What Is Digital Wellbeing and How Does It Relate to our Overall Wellbeing?

Digital wellbeing refers to the quality of our interactions with technology, ensuring these tools support rather than undermine our mental, emotional and physical health. It is aligned with wider wellbeing frameworks such as PERMAH (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, achievement, health). Tools that fragment attention or disrupt sleep can erode these pillars of wellbeing. Digital wellbeing recognises the importance of balance, intentional use and psychological safety in a tech‑driven world.

It likewise complements positive psychology’s focus on flourishing: rather than merely reducing distress, digital wellbeing promotes technology that supports connection, creativity, autonomy and meaning.

The Neuroscience of Technology in Modern Life

Modern digital tools, smartphones, apps, social media, are designed around powerful neural feedback loops.
AI‑driven algorithms reward short bursts of dopamine, reinforcing habitual checking and engagement. Each notification releases a small burst of dopamine in the striatum, reinforcing the habit (Montag & Diefenbach, 2021). Neuroimaging studies show that heavy phone users have stronger functional connectivity between reward and attention networks and weaker links to the prefrontal cortex, the region that helps us hit the “stop” button (Brand et al., 2019). A recent study found that while AI feedback loops, reinforce motivation, they can also drive anxiety, mental fatigue and reduced autonomy. (Baumer, Heffernan, & Fitz, 2024).
Neuroscientists show that fragmented attention from multitasking online affects working memory capacity, cognitive control and decision‑making. In fact, heavy media multitaskers show more symptoms of anxiety, depression, impulsivity and lower perceived social success (Cain & Mitroff, 2011; Ophir, Nass, & Wagner, 2009).
Sleep disruption is also neurological: blue light interferes with melatonin production, altering circadian rhythms and memory consolidation (Chang, Scheer, & Czeisler, 2023). Chronic short sleep is linked to mood disturbance and reduced immune function.

Body and Mind: The Hidden Costs of Screen Time

Musculoskeletal pain – Nearly four in five young adults who use a smartphone for five or more hours each day report neck or hand pain (Alghadir et al., 2025).

1. Sleep disruption – Evening exposure to blue‑light screens suppresses melatonin and delays sleep onset (Chang et al., 2023).

2. Cognitive overload – Remote workers who face constant pings show higher fatigue and lower sustained attention (Pace et al., 2024).

3. Technostress – Feelings of loss of control over digital tools predict lower job satisfaction and higher burnout (Eurofound & EU‑OSHA, 2024).

4. Social comparison and self‑esteem – Image‑focused platforms heighten appearance‑based comparison, especially in young women. Longitudinal data link the spread of smartphones and Instagram (2010‑2012) to rising anxiety and depression in Generation Z, a shift Haidt calls the "rewiring of childhood" away from embodied play face‑to‑face interaction, risk‑taking and resilience building(Fardouly, Diedrichs, Vartanian, & Halliwell, 2015; Twenge, Haidt, & Campbell, 2023; Haidt & Twenge, 2024).

Work in a Hybrid World

The shift to hybrid and remote working has pushed daily screen hours even higher. Academic studies highlight a double-edged sword:

• Digital workplace job demands—such as hyperconnectivity, overload and fear of missing out, are linked to burnout, mental and emotional fatigue and sleep problems (Tarafdar, Pullins, & Ragu-Nathan, 2019). A 2024 survey of Maltese knowledge workers found that remote staff logged, on average, one extra hour per day and reported higher loneliness than office-based peers (Borg & Ellul, 2024).

• Physiological stress – Field experiments show that interruptions and system crashes increase heart-rate variability and salivary cortisol, a marker of chronic stress (Thomée, Härenstam, & Hagberg, 2012).

  However, it is not all doom and gloom; when used intentionally, digital tools improve teamwork, knowledge sharing and work–life flexibility, which in turn predict higher engagement (Derks & Bakker, 2014).

Three Tips for Digital Balance

1. Protect tech-free zones – Schedule device-free evenings or weekends. Digital-detox trials show significant gains in positive affect and sleep quality after just one week (Brown & Kuss, 2020).

2. Choose mindful design – Use apps with reflection prompts, usage dashboards and soft barriers such as timers or greyscale mode. Studies of mindful-tech design report lower mind-wandering and improved subjective autonomy (van der Maas, van den Abeelen, & Leenaars, 2021).

3. Restore embodied activity – Swap scrolling for walking meetings, outdoor play or face-to-face catch-ups. Such "body breaks" boost mood and executive function (Oppezzo & Schwartz, 2014) and mirror Haidt’s call for unstructured, real-world interaction.

What Employers Can Do (Hybrid/Remote Settings)

1. Design organisational digital wellbeing policies. Have a right-to-disconnect policy. Establish core hours and encourage no‑email zones. Clarify expectations regarding out‑of‑hours contact to reduce hyperconnectivity and protect downtime. French firms that adopted such a policy saw burnout scores fall by twelve per cent in one year (Kelly & Moen, 2020).

2. Foster connection and offline engagement

   Host occasional in‑person or hybrid social events, outdoor or physical activities. Cultivate peer support, mentorship and connection outside a screen.

3. Build a healthy digital culture
   Leadership that models offline boundaries and ethical tech use reduces nomophobia (anxiety when disconnected) and technostress (Spagnoli, Molino, & Ghislieri, 2020).
   Offer training on mindful tech use, boundary‑setting and digital ergonomics.

4. Support hybrid working through safe design
   Supply adjustable desks, guidelines on screen distance and eye-break software.
   Encourage regular screen breaks, walking meetings, and integrate micro‑mindfulness practices into daily routines.

5. Track and act – Use quarterly pulse surveys to monitor workload, autonomy and social support, then co-create solutions with employees.

By weaving these practices into Occupational Safety and Health frameworks, organisations can move from crisis firefighting to genuine proactive prevention.

Key Takeaway

Digital wellbeing is not about rejecting technology but taking control on how we use it. Modern technology shape our attention, sleep, social relationships and stress responses. Especially in workplaces and among young people, unchecked digital exposure undermines mental and physical health. Workplace leadership can and should set boundaries, educate and restore balance with physical connection and ethical tech design. Small daily habits and thoughtful workplace policies can help us reclaim attention, protect health, and allow technology to serve us rather than hijack our wellbeing.

Ready to Rebalance Your Digital Life?

If you or your organisation would like to learn more about digital wellbeing and workplace wellbeing, then let’s tallk.

References

Alter, A. (2017). Irresistible: The rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked. Penguin Random House.

Alghadir, A. H., Alyami, A. A., & Al Yousef, A. (2025). Smartphone addiction and musculoskeletal disorders among young adults. European Journal of Medical Research, 30, 274. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001‑025‑01274‑5

Baumer, S., Heffernan, M., & Fitz, K. (2024). Algorithmic reward schedules and compulsive checking: An fMRI study. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 153(2), 215–229.

Borg, S., & Ellul, R. (2024). Remote‑work practices and wellbeing among Maltese knowledge workers. Journal of Mediterranean Business Studies, 12(1), 44–58.

Brand, M., Wegmann, E., Stark, R., Müller, A., Wölfling, K., Robbins, T. W., & Potenza, M. N. (2019). The interaction of person‑affect‑cognition‑execution variables in addictive behaviours: The I‑PACE model. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 96, 252–266.

Brown, J., & Kuss, D. J. (2020). Fear of missing out, mental wellbeing and social connectedness: A seven‑day social media break. Computers in Human Behavior, 117, 106627.

Cain, M. S., & Mitroff, S. R. (2011). Distractor filtering in media multitaskers. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 73, 327–336.

Chang, A. M., Scheer, F., & Czeisler, C. A. (2023). Evening use of light‑emitting devices and its impact on sleep, circadian timing and next‑morning alertness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(5), e2221341120.

Clark, M. (2024). How to fix your company’s culture of overwork. Harvard Business Review, 18 March.

DataReportal. (2025). Digital 2025 Global Overview Report. We Are Social & Meltwater.

Derks, D., & Bakker, A. B. (2014). Smartphone use, work‑home interference and burnout: A diary study on the role of recovery. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(2), 277–285.

European Parliament. (2023). Resolution on mental health challenges in the digital workplace (2022/0184(INI)).

Eurofound & EU‑OSHA. (2024). The impact of digitalisation on occupational safety and health: Risks and opportunities. Publications Office of the European Union.

Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., & Halliwell, E. (2015). Social comparisons on social media: The impact of Facebook on young women's body image concerns. Body Image, 13, 38–45.

Fiorini, L. A. (2024). Work‑related mental health and well‑being in Malta: Progress and challenges. Centre for Labour Studies, University of Malta.

Haidt, J., & Twenge, J. M. (2024). The anxious generation: How a rewired childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness. Psychological Bulletin, 150(2), 189–214.

Kelly, E. L., & Moen, P. (2020). Overload?: An experimental evaluation of education and right‑to‑disconnect policies in France. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 73(4), 1046–1075.

Montag, C., & Diefenbach, S. (2021). The digital age and its impact on society. European Psychologist, 26(2), 76–92.

Ophir, E., Nass, C., & Wagner, A. D. (2009). Cognitive control in media multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(37), 15583–15587.

Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(4), 1142–1152.

Pace, G., Bonaiuto, M., & Gorbacheva, E. (2024). The new normal of remote work: Well‑being outcomes in Italian academia. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1340094. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1340094

Spagnoli, P., Molino, M., & Ghislieri, C. (2020). Workaholism and technostress: The buffering role of job crafting. Sustainability, 12(20), 8391.

Tarafdar, M., Pullins, E. B., & Ragu‑Nathan, T. S. (2019). Technostress: Review and concept development. Journal of Management, 45(1), 103–131.

Thomée, S., Härenstam, A., & Hagberg, M. (2012). Computer use and stress prevention: Prospective studies of psychological and physiological indicators of load. Journal of Occupational Health, 54(6), 427–432.

Twenge, J. M., Haidt, J., & Campbell, W. K. (2023). Declines in adolescent mental health after 2010 and the role of screen‑based activities. Journal of Adolescence, 96, 1–17.

van der Maas, M., van den Abeelen, F., & Leenaars, A. A. (2021). Mindful app design: Examining the effects of usage dashboards and reflection prompts on smartphone overuse. Computers in Human Behavior, 123, 106879.