Chloe Petterson Analyst Sport Bay of Plenty

One of the biggest trends affecting time spent on sport and recreation is personal distraction.

Smartphone ownership has rocketed ahead in the last year. They have become more affordable, with ever more apps, games and windows to the online world.

People of all ages have a smartphone connected to their person and are constantly checking it, communicating with it and learning from it.

Free time is absorbed in a flash, with head bent, fingers swiping and content flowing.

I use mine to read the news, get sports results, check emails, catch up on gossip, find out where I'm going next, anything at all I need to know … the list is endless, as is the online content I can access.

Everywhere you go, smartphones dominate. They eat time and they require you to be immobile.

How many times have you felt the nagging feeling in your hands and arms when you've been tinkering on your phone too long? That's your body's subtle way of saying, 'Enough.”

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all put them away for half the day?

We could get back to basics, back to the pleasure of having free time to get outside and move, to play sport or walk or run or swim.

If we put the phone down and went out to play:

- Our conversations and experiences wouldn't be interrupted by bells and whistles

- Our sense of constant duty and responsibility would diminish and we would be free agents

- Our bodies would relish the freedom from constriction of sitting immobile

- Our children would know they don't need to compete with our smartphone for attention

- Our work emails could wait while we exercise and breathe deep to let go of some of the stress

- Our relationships would return to being conducted in person, with more genuine connections.

Granted, we may miss the odd personal message or reminder, but the benefits are many:

• - Having fun the way our bodies have evolved to do
• - Choices of activities and interests in the real world
• - Happy families and friends
• - Giving your fingers and hands a break
• - A fitter, healthier you.

So why not give it a try this weekend? Let the online world wait, put your smartphone down, get outside and play. You will be amazed at what you've been missing.