A terrifying fact behind our fat
We haven’t had a math quiz in a while, so pay attention, kids.
Let’s keep our minds sharp.
There are 24 hours in a day, so in a full week, that would be …
Let’s see, simple multiplication. It’s got to be 7 times 24, which is …
Well, it’s …
Hang on, I’ve got the little calculator on my phone here.
Ah, right. Just as I thought, 168 hours in a week.
Now let’s say you sleep eight hours a night — which none of us do because we’re stressed about something or other.
But if we call it six hours of sleep, with an hour of tossing at night and another hour of dragging yourself back into the world in the morning, that would add up to eight.
So, yeah, eight hours per night, which is, what?
Um, 56 hours each week.
Now if we take that 56 from 168 — help me with this, Sammie — yep, we’re at 102 hours of waking time in an average week.
You still with us, class?
GOOD, NOW how much of that conscious time will be put to good use?
You know, for important hours of working, going to school, raising a family, that sort of thing.
Oh, wait.
We have to subtract time to eat — let’s say three hours each day. So that’s 102 hours minus 21, right?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that leaves us with 81 useful hours.
Of course, before we commit to anything critical in that time, we have to allow for a stint on social media.
I just saw the average figures while reading a magazine in the doctor’s office, and …
WHAAAT?
According to the survey that nearly caused me to tip over a chair, millennials and Gen Z types (in other words, ages 18 to about 40) spend roughly 50 to 60 hours per week on their phones.
Yep, just the smartphones.
We’re not counting computers, iPads, Kindles, blah, blah, blah.
Not that you could do much there, anyway, because if you chew up a casual 60 hours on your phone, you’re left with …
Sammie has the answer, don’t you, dear?
Aha, exactly 21 hours to contribute something meaningful to society.
I THINK you know I’m not a fan of smartphones, certainly not in the hands of teenagers.
But now I’m beginning to see that they’re robbing adults of real life, as well.
My iPhone has this function that displays how many hours I’ve been using the thing during that given day — and also over the past seven days.
After being stunned by that survey I saw in the doc’s waiting room, I opened my phone almost instantly and discovered that in the previous seven days, I’d been doing some damn thing with that phone for just over 43 hours.
FORTY-THREE!
And you can trust me on this one …
None of those hours were spent on Snapchat or Instagram.
Not even Facebook or Twitter, because when I do peek at those things, it’s on this very same computer I’m using right now.
I’M JUST gobsmacked by that number.
Forty-three hours will get you a full-time job, for heaven’s sake.
To be fair, there are a couple of mitigating factors in my case: A columnist is always going to be looking at emails, various apps and even checking a podcast or video while searching for good material — so there’s that.
Plus, my lady Melissa is in Kansas City and hasn’t been well lately, so add in several phone calls.
Even so …
I cannot fathom reaching 43 hours in a week. Just over six hours per day.
How have I found time to cuddle the cat?
Poor thing.
Conclusion …
What we’ve learned from our lesson today, folks, is why more and more Americans are becoming obese.
We’re sitting on our butts and staring at tiny screens.
The harsh truth: Switching apps doesn’t burn many calories.
•••
Steve Cameron is a columnist for The Press.
A Brand New Day appears from Wednesday through Saturday each week.
Steve’s column about Gonzaga basketball runs on Tuesday.
Email: scameron@cdapress.com
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