Summer's Greatest Gift: Trading Screen Time for Green Time
Why summer may be the perfect time to put your phone down and rediscover the attention, creativity, and connection we've been missing.
Jul 12, 2026
I still remember the sound of summer when my kids were growing up: the screen door banging shut all day long as they raced outside to grab a baseball glove or popsicle, hop on a bike, or just disappear into the neighborhood until dinner.
Back then, those constant trips through the door were the sounds of curiosity and adventure. Every family probably had its own version of this soundtrack, with sprinklers clicking across the lawn and the laughter of kids stretching every minute of daylight.
Today, I wonder how much of those sounds have been replaced by the chirps and chimes of our devices. The moment there’s a lull, many of us reach for our phones. We rarely give our children — or ourselves — the chance to notice the world around us.
This shift, and what we lose because of it, came into focus during a conversation at Worth Media Group’s recent Living Well conference. What I heard there helped me understand why putting down our phones is so difficult, and why summer may be one of the best times to try.
Where our attention goes
Listening to the discussion, I realized this wasn’t just a story about children, but about all of us. How often do we instinctively reach for our phones while waiting in line, sitting on the porch, or even sharing a meal?
Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, a renowned psychologist and bestselling author, offered a comparison for this behavior:
“For adults, smartphones increasingly function like cigarettes once did — we instinctively reach for them to reduce anxiety or fill every idle moment. Whether every instance qualifies as addiction is debatable, but it’s certainly an unhealthy dependence.”
If adults struggle to resist that pull, it’s worth wondering what constant screen time means for children whose brains are still developing. “That’s one reason we’re seeing unprecedented youth mental health problems and what many describe as a loneliness epidemic,” Dr. Kardaras said.
Psychologist Dr. Dale Atkins, an author and expert on relationships, emphasized what screens often replace: human connection. She said:
“Today, many of us have relationships with our devices instead of relationships with each other. Children need adults who listen, make eye contact, engage in genuine conversation, and are fully present.”
She added: “Being attentive means putting the phone down, looking at the person you’re speaking with, and being fully present.” Whether we’re talking with a spouse, a friend, a grandchild, or a neighbor, that’s what meaningful connection looks like.
And perhaps that’s what all of us — not just children — have been seeking all along.
Summer's greatest gift
Dr. Kardaras explained why our devices are so difficult to resist. Dr. Atkins described what happens when we spend time outdoors and how that differs from endless scrolling and vibrating notifications. As she said:
“Nature doesn’t require our directed attention. Looking at clouds, listening to birds, or simply noticing the wind is enough. It allows us to experience what researchers call soft fascination.”
Dr. Atkins calls this “green time,” the kind of attention that comes naturally when we’re outside instead of constantly reacting to emails and notifications.
Listening for summer again
Summer gives us more opportunities to experience that kind of attention. It might be an evening walk after dinner, a few minutes on the porch, listening to cicadas as daylight fades, or watching fireflies begin to appear.
Those moments invite us to notice. And maybe that’s exactly what our minds have been missing.
Every now and then, I still think about that old screen door banging shut as my kids rushed outside to see what the day might bring. Looking back, I realize that sound was a reminder that the best parts of summer were happening on the other side of that door.
This season, I hope we’ll all spend a little more time there.
All the best,
Jim
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AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.
