Having studied this and lived the experience of trying to balance my technology use I know technology can significantly influence our mental and physical health and our relationships. And these influences can be bad and good!

During these pandemic times, you would be hard pressed to find someone who does not struggle with their own use or someone close to them's use of technology. Children, partners, workers and our own selves can be lost in our gadgets for hours if not days.

Since the launch of the internet in 1994 our use has increase exponentially and seems to have no end in sight. The smart phone has made this tech available anytime and anywhere. In many ways our use of  technology has helped sustain us through the pandemic.

And our technology us has become a crutch for many. Some people are and will struggle to find and get back to other things they love. Some fall into very problematic use and it may look like addiction.

Social media occupies a lot of people's time. Some conservative estimates suggest we spend just under 2 hours a day on social media.

We can spend upwards of 6 hours a day on the internet. And if you are at home working on your computer even more! And the distractions are just a click away.

Gaming is fun and distracting and also social! How much is too much - how do we know when it is impacting our or our child or loved ones growth and development.

Research shows that there are protective factors that help us mitigate our choices around tech use, but some of these have been unattainable during the pandemic - such as face to face real time connection. Many are unsure how they will return to a normal life post pandemic and feel a lot of anxiety about face to face time, this can be true for all ages, from teen to elder.