Screen time isn’t the only activity that can keep you hooked. With neuroscientist Dr. Samantha Yammine, discover the distinction she sees between getting absorbed in a puzzle and getting pulled through your phone, and what it means for choosing your downtime.
You meant to call your mum. Somehow, you’re watching TikTok instead. Sam recognises that detour herself. What changes between deciding to do something and finding yourself somewhere you never intended to go?
A book, a puzzle, something to colour: an analog stack offers alternatives within reach. But does stacking them have specific scientific support? Sam separates what has been studied from her own reasoning about why a little variety might make those options more inviting.
Topics: screen time, analog activities, brain stacking, autonomy, novelty
GUEST: Dr. Samantha Yammine, @science.sam samanthayammine.com
Originally aired on2026-11-10
