Technology Obsessed Generation (TOGS) choose to stay online

Forget leisure time in the pub, watching TV or relaxing with family and friends after work – many of us are choosing to stay online in the time saved by the technology revolution. We are now spending extra time online for personal research and leisure activities, such as communicating with family and friends digitally on social networking on sites like Facebook and YouTube rather than meeting up face to face.

Research by swiftcover.com, the online insurance provider, reveals 43% of the ‘technology obsessed generation’ (TOGs) just can’t switch off as we choose to stay online in our leisure time. Only 26 percent of people polled say they use the time saved to carry out more traditional activities such as reading, watching TV, sleeping or relaxing.

One in three TOGs (35% of Brits) say they simply could not live without the technology gadgets we use every day, and have more free time as a result of using them. Furthermore, over six in ten (67%) now use devices such as the internet, mobile phones, and PCs or Mac mainly for their entertainment and leisure time, while only 39% of us use them mostly for work.

Craig Staniland, Director of Underwriting at swiftcover.com comments: “So many tasks and activities can be done online now, from shopping and managing our finances, to keeping in touch with friends and pure entertainment, It’s no wonder so many of us spend our spare time online.”

A third (31%) of Brits use technology such as the internet, mobiles, PCs, Macs or laptops for four hours a day or more - more than half the working day - and 61% of UK adults spend between two and four hours every day using these devices.

We have come to rely on technology so much that:

Over a third of us (35%) feel that we couldn’t now live without it

Nearly a third say they would have less free time if they were not able to use technology, as every task and activity they now do on the internet or by mobile would have to be done manually

26 percent of people say they would have to pay out more if they were not able to shop around on the internet, with the over 65s being the most concerned about this (28%) than any other age group

Overall, 20% say their lives would be more stressful without technology, but nearly a third (30%) of internet-savvy 17-25 year olds say life without technology would be more stressful

Less than one in ten (7%) people aged 25 - 35 would enjoy being without modern technology, whilst perhaps unsurprisingly, more over 65s would be happy without technology (17%)

Craig Staniland continues: “Everyone knows that technology has revolutionised the way we work, but it is fascinating to see how it is benefiting and changing our whole lifestyles. We can now do pretty much anything online, and this is reflected in how much time we are spending using technology. From being able to shop around for the best deals to giving us to more free time, technology has brought many benefits to the way we live and work. ”

There are also a few interesting differences of opinions in different areas of the UK:

35% overall say they couldn’t live without technology, but this rises in some areas of the UK, such as 63% in Northern Ireland and 50% in the North East

A third (35%) of the cash-conscious Welsh are concerned they would have to pay more without technology

People in the North West spend the least amount of time, with 26% only using techy devices for one to two hours a day