Despite the booming digital age we’re living in, studies have revealed that millions are opting to spend as much as their day as possible without interruptions from technology. Research from Electric Tobacconistย has revealedย more than 6.5 million people still go through daily life without carrying a single piece of technology on their person.
Naturally, the older generations are more likely to do this, with 1 in 4 of those aged 65+ years confessing they donโt carry a single gadget with them. However, 1 in every 10 of those aged 46 – 54 will also do this – suggesting that this trend is not exclusive to pensioners.
And while younger British adults are not as keen to live out daily life without the help of a gadget – with less than 1% of those aged 18 – 24 years going without on a daily basis – the research did reveal a surprising appetite to introduce functionality on their devices that restricted their usage.
One in five (20%) said they would like to see manufacturers introducing features that would supply them with reminders to not over use their technology, or set usage limits.
Meanwhile, 13% say they would be open to having allocated times during the day when they would go technology free.
Digital detoxes are proving increasingly popular, with a number of Millennial A-listers having undertaken them – including 21 year old supermodel and Kardashian dynasty member, Kendal Jenner; 25 year old singer and Disney actress, Selena Gomez and record breaking songwriter, Ed Sheeran.
Indeed, a number of celebrities are even refusing to own mobile phones full stop.
Big Little Lies actress Shailene Woodley doesnโt even own a mobile phone, claiming they distract from social interactions, while supermodel and TV personality Tyra Banks is another A-lister who refuses to own a phone.
TV and music mogul Simon Cowell is another celebrity who refuses to carry his own mobile phone, preferring to call people when he needs them. This follows the news that more than 1 in 2 (57%) are so reliant on it that they would even travel home to retrieve it should they have forgotten it when leaving the house.
Pascal Culverhouse, founder and CEO at ElectricTobacconist.co.uk, said: โTechnology has come on to such a degree that it is now more shocking to find out that someone does not carry any gadgets with them at all, than for someone to reveal several hundred poundsโ worth of technology with them every day.
โTechnology is incredible, and allows us to achieve so many things in our day-to-day lives much more efficiently – but there is such a thing as over-use. Being permanently glued to a screen on a mobile phone or a tablet, for example, is not a good thing. Itโs interesting to see that it has gone so far this way that many now admit they would like manufacturers to introduce features that make it more difficult in fact for them to use their devices – with many welcoming caps that will physically present them from using their gadgets.โ
