Adults must reclaim their attention from screens

Adults should examine their own screen habits as well as those of children, Danish journalist Jakob Sorgenfri Kjær told KVF, warning that phones can affect sleep, concentration and relationships.

This week, about 7,000 primary school pupils, 2,600 upper secondary students, and a number of workplaces and municipalities are taking part in SkíggjaSunn, a campaign focused on digital habits. But screen use is not only an issue for young people, KVF reports.

Kjær has spent more than 20 years examining how technology affects people and society. His 2024 bestseller, Kig op, looks at the growing place screens occupy in daily life.

People often reach for their phones while waiting, feeling bored or taking a brief break. Phones can also draw attention away from conversations when people are together. The issue, Kjær says, is not only how many hours people spend in front of screens, but how they use that time and how present they are with others. Children also observe adults’ habits.

Kjær recommends three practical steps. First, keep the phone out of the bedroom to make it less tempting to check messages and social media before sleep or just after waking. He says this can also benefit relationships.

Second, leave the phone in another room, where it is less likely to be picked up out of habit. Allowing thoughts to wander instead of filling every pause with a phone can also help, he says.

Third, practise focusing attention by putting the phone away when starting a task or leisure activity, and doing one thing at a time rather than constantly switching between activities. The aim is not to give up technology, but to have more control over it and choose what receives our attention.