Three UK stores to offer screen time advice to adults, as over half say they find managing screen time as challenging as kids do

• Research from Three UK shows nearly two thirds (64%)¹ of Brits say their phones have made their lives easier yet almost the same amount (58%)[1]) of adults also admit they find managing screen time as challenging as kids do
• A third (33%)¹ of Brits feel there isn’t enough support or guidance on how to manage their screen time, as they admit to being distracted from conversations and being “unable” to stop “doomscrolling”
• The mobile operator is rolling out Screen Time training across its 297 UK stores and online, to help adults create a more mindful relationship with their phone
• The campaign has been developed with neuroscientist Dr Jack Lewis

16 October 2024 – Three UK, the mobile network operator, is launching a nation-wide roll out of screen time training for adults as new research reveals that while 64%¹ of Brits say phones make their lives easier, nearly as many struggle to manage their screen time. Despite smartphones enriching lives, with just over half (51%)¹feeling their devices add value, (58%)¹ of adults admit they find managing screen time as challenging as kids do.

Still, one in every three (33%)¹ UK adults feel there isn’t enough support or guidance available on how to better manage their relationship with their phone. To address this gap, Three UK is rolling out Screen Time training across its 297 UK stores and online.

Three’s c.2,300 retail colleagues are being trained to offer Screen Time tips to customers, from using phones and apps’ inbuilt screen time management tools, to advising them on a more mindful approach to their devices. The training has been developed using guidance and tips to tackle mindful screen time usage and is bookable online through Three’s Discovery platform – which helps communities with digital skills.

The set of measures was created as Brits admitted to screens distracting them from day-to-day interactions, with:

• Over half (53%)[2] saying they get distracted from conversations and turn to their smartphones
• Nearly a third (32%)¹ admit they’ve been “unable” to stop doomscrolling consuming negative content
• Just under three in ten (29%)¹ feeling embarrassed about the amount of time they spend on their phone

While phones and apps are equipped with tools to help manage screen time, only a quarter[3] of those surveyed said they had taken advantage of them. The most popular tricks and tools to try to manage it better included:

• Switching phone off or into airplane mode (deployed by 46% of respondents) ³
• Putting a smartphone out of sight (38%)³
• Changing the placing of apps on a home screen (36%)³

Elaine Carey, Chief Commercial Officer, at Three UK said “At Three UK, we believe in the positive potential of smartphones to enrich our lives. But we also know that it takes some practice to truly take control of your screen time and find a way to be mindful with it. Our new measures are designed to help customers make sure they’re using devices in a way that truly benefits them, empowering them to make the most of their digital experience.”  

Dr Jack Lewis, neuroscientist who consulted on the measures said: “For too long we’ve focused almost entirely on the time children spend on their mobile devices. Now is the time to arm adults with the right resources and help they need to feel in charge of their screen time to ensure that its positive and purposeful. My challenge to you, is to look closely at your phone habits, reflect on them and start actively building better habits.”

Dr Jack summarised his advice to those trying to improve the quality of their screen time, as the ABC rule:

1. Assert control: You, no one else is in charge of your device. Think of your phone as a tool that you must learn to take full control of. You hold the power. Use it wisely

1. Be intentional:  Before you pick up your phone, stop for 10 seconds and decide what you’re planning to use it for and how long you’ll spend doing it. And stick to that plan! Be strict with yourself and don’t get side-tracked.
2. Come up for air:  Set aside time to look at your screen time reports once a week, reflect on how much of it was well-spent, and decide how you can improve the overall quality of your screen time.”

Research from Three also uncovered the UK’s smartphone habits, showing how we’re collectively spending our time on our phones. Here’s what they found:

• Social media: 38 minutes per day
• Streaming (Netflix, YouTube, iPlayer) : 33 minutes per day
• Communicating (texts, calls, FaceTime): 31 minutes per day
• Listening to music: 30 minutes per day
• Gaming: 27 minutes per day

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Research carried out by Censuswide between 26.08.24 – 02.09.24; 2,006 UK nationally representative respondents surveyed

Dr Jack Lewis

Dr Jack Lewis, author of the best selling book Sort Your Brain Out (2014) and hosts of the series Secrets of the Brain on Insight. He was awarded a first class BSc degree in neuroscience by the University of Nottingham back in 2001 and in 2005 got his PhD from University College London.

His focus since has been on making brain science more accessible to the general public, through TV, radio, books, podcasts and talks.

Whether helping people make better decisions, adapt to change, improve creativity, build resilience, understand cognitive bias or body language – Dr Jack Lewis is interested in how better understand the brain can help people to tweak their daily habits to generate tangible benefits, both in and out of work.

About Three

Three launched in 2003 as the UK’s first 3G only network. Today Three is a connectivity company that connects people to people, people to things and things to things and has 10.9 million customers.

Our network today covers 99% of the UK population and we carry 34% of the UK’s mobile data traffic.

Three launched 5G in August 2019, and has been recognised by Ookla as having the UK’s fastest 5G network.

Three UK is a proud partner of Samaritans, where it will use the strength of its network and technology to connect 1 million people to emotional support.

Three UK is part of the CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd group of companies which has mobile operations in 11 countries. We employ more than 4,800 people across our offices in Reading and Glasgow and our 297 retail stores.

Contact

Headland Consultancy – three@headlandconsultancy.com

[1] Combining answer options “Strongly agree” and “Somewhat agree”

²Combining answer options from “Everyday” to “Less than once a year”.

[3] Combining answer options “Yes, I currently do this” and “Yes, I have done this in the past”.