Not all screen uses are bad. We watch YouTube to figure out how to fix our car or make a new recipe. We use software to make household budgets, and we need email for nearly every area of life. These technologies can help us navigate the everyday details of life. But some leisure screen habits—video games and social media—waste our time and potential. Our kids get the shortest end of the stick.
All habits, good or bad, are a reflection of the brain’s effort to save energy. When the brain shifts certain daily decisions and activities to autopilot by building habits, resources are freed up for other things. But some habits are more harmful than others, as they interfere with our well-being.
