{
  "id": 329216,
  "title": "How to balance your digital and real life to stay sane",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/30/how-to-balance-your-digital-and-real-life-to-stay-sane",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-07-30T15:46:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post Tech & Start-Ups",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post-tech-start-ups",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-904120"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In today's digital age, technology has become an integral part of how we live, work, and play. However, this constant connection can also make it challenging to disconnect and maintain a healthy balance between our online and offline lives.\n\nResearch shows that the average person spends 6 hours and 45 minutes online each day, with 2 hours and 20 minutes specifically on social media and watching videos. This means that we are spending a significant portion of our day engaged in digital activities, which can lead to a decrease in overall well-being.\n\nExperts suggest that the constant stimulation from notifications, messages, and social media feeds can keep our brains in a state of alertness, making it difficult to focus on a single task. This frequent task-switching can increase mental fatigue and reduce our ability to concentrate.\n\nMoreover, excessive screen time has been linked to lower levels of well-being, particularly when it replaces sleep, physical activity, or face-to-face interaction. Digital habits can also affect how we think, feel, and relate to others, making it harder to relax even when away from our devices.\n\nTo achieve a better balance between our digital and real lives, experts recommend creating healthy digital boundaries. This includes turning off non-essential notifications, avoiding the urge to check our phones immediately after waking up, and creating technology-free spaces during meals or family time. By establishing these boundaries, we can reduce distractions and give our brains the time it needs to recharge.\n\nAnother important aspect of balancing digital and real life is making time for meaningful connections. While digital communication is convenient, it often lacks the depth and emotional connection of face-to-face interactions. Engaging in activities like meeting friends, visiting family, volunteering, or joining local groups can create stronger emotional bonds and provide the support that online interactions cannot always replicate. These experiences also improve empathy, communication skills, and overall happiness.\n\nAdditionally, it's essential to relearn the value of being offline. Many people have become accustomed to reaching for their phones whenever they have a spare moment. However, being offline can feel uncomfortable for some, as real-world activities engage the mind in a different way. Activities like taking a walk, reading a physical book, cooking without watching videos, or simply enjoying a sunset without taking a photo can help reduce cognitive overload and strengthen relationships and emotional well-being.\n\nIn conclusion, while technology offers numerous benefits, it's crucial to find a balance between our digital and real lives. By creating healthy digital boundaries, prioritizing meaningful connections, and embracing offline experiences, we can maintain a healthier relationship with technology and improve our overall well-being.",
  "summary": "Learn how to balance screen time and offline life, improve mental well-being, reduce digital stress, and build healthier daily habits. (And stay sane.)",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}