‘Children have to move more at school’. This was one of important news items yesterday. The Dutch Sports Council, the Education Council and the Council for Public Health and Society have published a report stating that children are not moving enough at the moment, advising schools to let the children move more during their day (1).
It is a problem that many countries are facing today. While children used to spend all their free time playing outside with their siblings and their friends, they are increasingly sitting inside with their smartphones, watching TV, or playing video games. This increased use of digital products has led the French government to implement regulation that officially bans phones from schools (2).
Does this mean that digital innovations like the smartphone or the tablet are making us increasingly more unhealthy? The evidence is mixed. Of course, people who are excessively using their smartphones can experience serious pain in areas such as the neck, shoulders and back (3). However, they key word here is ‘excessively’.
Most smartphones and tablets now offer apps that help you track and increase your health. Especially when it comes to diagnosing health problems or monitoring chronic diseases, these apps can be really useful (4). And digitization does not necessarily mean that people move less. I am myself using a sports watch in order to track my activities and monitor my accomplishments. I am not sure whether I would have been able to run 5 km this morning if I did not have my watch to tell me how far I had come and whether I was running in the right pace. And I definitely wouldn’t have run that long if I didn’t have some music in my ears to keep me motivated.
Therefore, I guess the key word in this discussion is ‘balance’. Digitization does have the potential to make us unhealthy, but only if we allow it to.
Sources:
(1) https://nos.nl/artikel/2249731-advies-laat-kinderen-extra-bewegen-op-school.html
(2) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/07/french-school-students-to-be-banned-from-using-mobile-phones
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4395668/
(4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5399221/#ui-ncbiinpagenav-heading-7
(Picture) https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/ban-smartphones-improve-student-grades/
I definitly agree with this. Coming next might be a rather extreme metaphor but it’s similar to saying that guns kill people. Which of course is not true. It’s the person behind the gun, that decides to pull the trigger who’s to blame. Much like smartphones, it’s not the fault of technology. Parent’s should ensure children find the right balance between x amount of screentime, and real life interaction with peers.
Hi Rick!
Yes, that’s exactly my point! In the end, people themselves are responsible for their technology use and that of their children. Though I can imagine that it is hard for parents to control everything their children do, especially when they are playing at their friends’ houses or at school. I guess it will be a trial-and-error process in which parents can also look at each other for best practices and tips and tricks. I am curious to see what the future will bring!
Kimberly
I find this article interesting because today there are many discussions around how children should grow up with the ever changing technological world. An article I found interesting was this one featuring Dr. Larry Rosen a psychology researcher from the California State University.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-larry-rosen/how-much-technology-shoul_b_3142227.html?guccounter=1
He talks about what he thinks “too much” is when it comes to children using technology. He recommends the use of the 1:5 ratio where every minute spent using a phone, computer, TV, iPad, the child should spend 5 minutes interacting with others, interacting with toys that promote creativity, and doing activities that calm the overactive brain. I think this is very relevant to not just children but also adults.
I am away for 15 hours out of 24 hours of the day. I would say that I spend 70% of that time on my computer or my phone. I never leave my phone and I constantly feel the need to check my calendar and plan my days even when I am sitting on the bus. I agree that it may be healthier to spend more time doing calmer and more creative activities. Is it possible for me to avoid using my computer as a student and is it possible for me to have technological breaks when I enter the workforce? These are all questions I find interesting when considering future HRM practices that may change the way we work !
Hi Connie!
Thanks for replying! I agree, these technological needs will definitely make it harder for us to find a proper balance between our ‘online’ and ‘offline’ life. I think this is also why HRM is still relevant for so many companies, by ensuring that people not only have a proper working environment but that they are also able to step out of that environment and do something relaxing. I think this is also why so many innovative companies in for example Silicon Valley have created these wide offices in which there are also opportunities to sport, sit outside, etcetera. These companies are making a smart choice, since exercising and moving in general will increase productivity. In this article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-pozen/exercise-productivity_b_2005463.html?guccounter=1, the author explains how exercising makes us happier and more energetic, therefore making us more productive.
So I guess we will have to wait and see whether more companies will realize the benefits of a proper balance. Let’s hope they do!
Kimberly