With the new year comes all kinds of lofty goals and ambitions. And there’s one goal that more of us should probably be making a priority, a healthy aging expert tells TODAY.com.<\/p>\n
Making New Year’s resolutions can be a helpful strategy \u2014\u00a0if you approach them the right way, Dr. Ezekiel J.Emanuel, author of the new book out this month “Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life<\/a>,” tells TODAY.com.<\/p>\n “I call them New Year ‘commitments,’ and I make only a small number of them,” he says. And there’s one that’s been on his list for a few years in a row now “because I haven’t quite succeeded,” Emanuel admits.<\/p>\n But it’s back on the list again \u2014\u00a0and he encourages everyone to make it a goal in 2026.<\/p>\n Healthy Aging Expert’s Resolution: Take a Day Off From Screens<\/p>\n Emanuel encourages everyone to take one day per week off from electronics, like screens and devices.<\/p>\n “I try to make Saturday electronics-free,” says Emanuel, who is also co-director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute and a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.<\/p>\n “That’s a very, very important one for me,” he says. “I keep trying, and I’m getting better. It takes a lot of willpower, so I’m not fully there.” <\/p>\n Why It Matters<\/p>\n There are all sorts of mental health and physical benefits of taking a break from screens<\/a> and electronics, Emanuel says. “You actually feel better mentally,” he says. “You’re less anxious and less depressed.” <\/p>\n Being connected all the time via social media \u2014\u00a0and the overwhelming sense of FOMO we get without access to our devices \u2014\u00a0has become a major distraction, he says. In fact, that’s why he prohibits students from having phones and laptops out during classes.<\/p>\n Spending too much time on screens or with social media can disrupt your sleep<\/a>, affect your ability to concentrate <\/a>and contribute to mental health issues, like depression and anxiety, especially among kids and young adults<\/a>. <\/p>\n So if you’d like to improve any of those aspects of your life in 2026, challenge yourself (or even your whole family<\/a>) to take more time away from technology.<\/p>\n How to Get Started<\/p>\n Taking time away from screens is only one half of this goal. The other half is what you do with that time instead, which can be a great opportunity to be more physically active, catch up with friends IRL or explore an analog interest.<\/p>\n If you can’t spend Saturday scrolling through social media or vegging out in front of the TV, you could develop a new hobby (like gardening or board games<\/a>), dive into a book, journal,<\/a> take time to meal prep for the week or get outside. <\/p>\n In particular, Emanuel likes to spend his electronics-free days hiking, biking or making a new dish in the kitchen.<\/p>\n For healthy-aging programs designed to improve mobility, build strength and improve mental health, download the Start TODAY app<\/a>!<\/p>\n