There’s loads of literature out there urging people today to get off their computers (those handheld iPhones count), and out into the world. Your grandparents might argue that staring at a computer is rotting your brain. The first lady might say that it’s stealing time away from being active for our children. You might even recognize the brain fry in yourself – that numbed, dazed feeling you get after playing a few too many rounds of candy crush. Now a recent study completed at the Technology Policy Institute in DC has quantified exactly what people are missing out on when they spend time surfing the internet, chatting online, or using computers for non-work leisure (e.g., iPhone games). Here’s what you’re missing out on when you’re scrolling through your facebook feed for the 20^th time today.

Of the five hours the average American has for any leisure time in a given day, surprisingly only an average of 13 minutes is spent online during those leisure hours. However, in each minute that people spend using a computer for leisure, they sacrifice leisure time in several specific areas. There was 16 fewer seconds worked, 7 fewer seconds spent sleeping, 6 fewer seconds experiencing travel, 4 fewer seconds completing chores, and 3 fewer seconds educating themselves. If you up the amount of time spent on the computer for leisure, the amount of time stolen from other activities increases. It also tends to cut back on the amount of leisure time you have to socialize off line (read: face to face with your friends). So next time you feel like aimlessly cruising the internet in your free time, think about that activities you’re giving up, and decide if it’s really worth the trade off.

After a weekend packed with fun activities, and relaxation with friends and family, many in the Monday-Friday 9-5 set find themselves experiencing an odd feeling on Sunday night. It’s technically still the weekend, but instead of enjoying that carefree feeling, many adults feel gloomy and anticipate the stress of the week on Sunday night or evening. This phenomenon is called the Sunday Night Blues, and 78% of people surveyed said they had experienced it. It can strike even people who love their jobs, but may experience high pressure or stress from balancing work with family during the weekdays. But you don’t have to sacrifice those last precious hours to anxiety or sleepless nights. Instead, use the following strategies recommended by experts, and go enjoy that football game!

First you should try to keep busy with activities that you enjoy. This will help distract your mind from the problems of the work week, and focus you in on hobbies or friendships that fulfill you.  If feelings of dread begin to set in, try writing down how you feel, the things that are bothering you, and a potential solution. This will help you get the stress out of your system, and also to set the scope of the problem – hopefully to realize it’s not an insurmountable issue. Then, turn off your electronics. Part of the reason so many experience Sunday stress is because thanks to technology, work lives can easily creep into home lives via blackberries and constant access to email or work demands. By disconnecting on the weekends, you can recharge for the week ahead rather than prolonging stress. Make plans in the future that you’re excited about. If you have a fun Tuesday night activity to look forward to, making it through 8 hours to get there might not seem so bad. It can be as simple as meeting a friend for dinner or deciding to watch a show you love. Finally, you should get organized on Friday afternoon before you leave work so that you know that when you come in Monday things will be orderly, and easy to pick up where you left off with clear objectives for the week. Nothing is more stressful than walking in to chaos on a Monday morning.