emotional-wellbeing – Emma Palmer-Cooper

digital boundaries, emotional-wellbeing, mental wellbeing, mental-health, Psychology students, Research, science communication, stress

Is all screen time bad?

There’s a lot of discussion about the effects of screen time on young people’s mental health. While excessive use of digital technology can sometimes be linked to poorer wellbeing, the evidence suggests that much of this relationship is driven by specific activities, particularly social media, rather than a blanket measure of screen use. At the same time, digital tools are increasingly being used to support young people’s wellbeing because they are accessible, affordable, and fit well with how many young people prefer to engage with support.

This is particularly relevant for university students. Many experience a decline in wellbeing when they move into higher education, often due to reduced social support and the related challenges of adapting to their new environment and independence. More than 30% of students meet clinical thresholds for symptoms of anxiety or depression, highlighting the need for simple, scalable ways to support wellbeing.

Building on our previous research showing benefits of mindful colouring, we wanted to know whether colouring digitally was as effective as colouring on paper. Digital colouring could offer a more accessible option, allowing people to engage in wellbeing activities wherever they are, using devices they already own. Previous studies have suggested that digital colouring can reduce anxiety and support mindfulness, but little was known about its effects over a longer period.

We asked 297 university students to complete at least six sessions of mindful colouring over two weeks, spending a minimum of ten minutes colouring each time. Some used paper materials and others used digital colouring apps.

We found that students who completed the colouring intervention reported lower perceptions of stress, and fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, alongside higher mindfulness and quality of life. The largest improvements were seen in psychological and emotional wellbeing, along with personal fulfilment, overall quality of life, social-emotional support, spiritual fulfilment, and self-care. Together, these findings suggest that mindful colouring can support both psychological and to a degree also social wellbeing outside formal therapeutic settings.

Importantly, improvements were similar whether students coloured on paper or digitally. Students who started the study with lower wellbeing tended to experience the greatest benefits.

Our findings show that not all screen time is equal. Digital activities that encourage focus, mindfulness, and engagement with the present moment may offer benefits rather than risks. Digital colouring appears to be a practical and accessible way to support student wellbeing, particularly for people who may be less likely to seek formal support.

That said, colouring is not a solution to every aspect of student wellbeing. While it can help individuals manage stress and improve wellbeing, it cannot address broader challenges such as loneliness, social connection, or the pressures of university life on its own. We therefore see mindful colouring as one useful tool within a wider wellbeing strategy, rather than a replacement for other forms of support.

You can read the full paper here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638237.2026.2732896

Our previous paper on paper colouring is here: https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2024.2419921

Photo by Allan Gonzu00e1lez on Pexels.com

emotional-wellbeing, happy habits box, positive postcards, stress

Making Happy Habits

As Featured in Psychologies, September 2025

Making intentional happy habits can be a great way to prioritise our wellbeing. This can be anything from making regular space for a favourite activity, to changing how we perceive the world around us.

At their core, habits are routine or automatic behaviours that have been learned. We can train ourselves to pick up happy habits to build resilience for when we need it, or to replace habits that are unhelpful.

Be clear

First you need to understand what you want to achieve, so start with a clear goal and habit in mind.

Be positive

Frame your goals in a positive light, like doing more of something, rather than stopping something. This will keep you motivated and more likely to succeed.

Be specific

Have a specific behaviour or goal in mind that you can measure. This will make it easier to see your progress and provide continuous motivation.

Be Practical

Set a specific time or space to build your habit, and make sure it is manageable. If you are committing to more ‘me’ time, or doing more of something you love, start small and build up over time.

Reward yourself

Congratulate yourself every time you practice your habit. Whether its a gold star, a pat on the back, or write it down, pause to notice the positives that come intentional positive habits.

How to achieve this?

If you are not sure where to start, the Happy Habits Box is a positive psychology toolbox using science-backed techniques to outline small but intentional habits that can improve positive outlook, discover new habits, build resilience and improve wellbeing.

digital boundaries, emotional-wellbeing

Are you Ego scrolling

As featured in Stylist, July 2025

Dating apps can be fun and even a way to improve our wellbeing, but only if we stay in control of how we use them.

Dating apps can be validating

One of our core psychological needs as humans is a sense of belonging and acceptance. Dating apps can offer this through validation of a person’s attractiveness and social worth, as well as finding connection.

When used in a balanced way, this social validation can enhance wellbeing, boost self-esteem, and foster a sense of fulfilment, while also reducing feelings of loneliness.

Dating apps can lead to bad habits

Positive experiences of validation or wellbeing boosts can reinforce scrolling on dating apps, turning it into a habit. If left unchecked, this can lead to excessive use, which may have the opposite effect on wellbeing. Research has shown that compulsive Tinder use is linked to low mood, poor self-esteem, and reduced life satisfaction.

If you notice that scrolling leaves you feeling worse rather than better, it might be time to pause or set limits on how often you use these apps.

How to reset your ego scrolling

The best way to address this is by asking yourself why you’re scrolling, and how you feel in the moment. It’s a process that takes practice and conscious effort, but it pays off when you learn to recognise and change unhelpful habits.

If you notice yourself scrolling on dating apps without a clear purpose, try deliberately switching to something else. Research suggests that positive emotions help us recover more quickly from negative experiences, so choosing something fulfilling can be very effective.

Setting clear boundaries around when and how long you scroll can also help prevent negative patterns. For example, you could pick a specific time of day to open a dating app, allowing yourself a finite window before moving on to something else. Setting an app time limit using your phone’s settings can be an effective way to manage this.

You might also choose to do something enjoyable straight after using the app, giving you more motivation to stick to your boundaries. Alternatively, you could positively reinforce your limits by rewarding yourself when you keep to your set time.

If you need tips for building happy habits, I’ve provided some here!

emotional-wellbeing, mental wellbeing, mental-health

Getting over your to do list burnout

Make a list, tick off the chores, feel ready to relax, then suddenly the weekend is gone?!

To enjoy a relaxing and restorative weekend, rather than one full of admin and chores, healthy boundaries and self-reflection around your downtime are key. Self-care isn’t just for when things go wrong; it’s most effective when practised consistently, especially when you feel well and have the energy to form happy habits. These habits build resilience and support your ability to cope when life gets challenging.

Making Intentional Time for Yourself

Making time for meaningful activities you enjoy, whether that is being outdoors, going to gym, or more relaxing hobbies like crafting or reading, helps establish the habit of time and permission for rest and enjoyment. If you find your weekends filled with tasks that aren’t urgent or are simply part of your usual routine, consider whether they truly need to be done now. Intentionally choosing uplifting activities helps us recover more quickly from negative experiences like a long week at work, and research shows that positive emotions play an important role in recovering from stress.

Set Boundaries Around Chores

Creating boundaries between work, life admin, and personal time, helps protect your wellbeing. If there are tasks you need to do, like laundry or shopping, allocate a specific and realistic time to complete them. You can reinforce these boundaries using positive reinforcement. Try listing some simple positive rewards for maintaining your chore boundaries, which can be as simple as time doing something more enjoyable and relaxing.

Spend Meaningful Time with Others

Social connection is essential for psychological wellbeing. Making time for meaningful friendships or connecting through shared interests improves our sense of purpose, and overall improves our life satisfaction. Whether it’s a walk with a friend or making time for a hobby group, it all helps to lift your mood and create a weekend that feels more fulfilling .

The Power of ‘Slow and No’

If your goal is to slow down at the weekend, consider the joy of doing less. The Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) is the positive feeling you get when you choose to say ‘No’. This might be even easier if you are saying no to usual routine activities like chores.

If this doesn’t come easily, you can try thinking about opportunities in the past that you said no to, and what you gained when you did this. Whether it was a day to yourself, or more time for a specific activity, focusing on what you gained helps reinforce slowing down as a positive habit. Remind yourself about these wins when you find new opportunities to say ‘No’ or slow down at the weekend.

Practicing Self-awareness

Making weekends more restorative starts with understanding what you need. Ask yourself why you’re taking a break and what you hope to get from it. This kind of reflection takes practice, but it can help you make choices that genuinely support your wellbeing. Developing awareness of your habits and needs is key to a sustainable work-life balance.

Try my Positive Postcards to get you started making healthy boundaries and happy habits.

emotional-wellbeing, mental wellbeing, mental-health, science communication, stress

Coping Creatively: Resilience Building Workshops

On Thursday 12th July, we hosted our very first Coping Creatively workshop at Newbury Cancer Care.

The event involved a brief introduction to wellbeing, resilience, and why creativity and creative activities can support our wellbeing, even during difficult times. We then got stuck into crafting.

Whatever their experience, everyone who attended left having tried something new, or renewing skills they already had! Whether it was knitting, colouring or mosaic gem art, creativity flowed, and moods were improved.

These workshops aren’t just a nice idea, there’s plenty of evidence to support the benefits of creative activity, especially for those navigating unexpected challenges. Particularly for our attendees who were navigating chemotherapy, studies have shown that engaging with creative activities can help reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, stress and anger during cancer treatment (Archer et al., 2014). These activities give us something many of us are missing in a fast-paced world: time and space to breathe.

In fact, research has shown that even something as simple as colouring can make a real difference. During chemotherapy, participants who took part in art classes reported feeling more relaxed, describing the sessions as ‘breathing spaces’ in an otherwise difficult time (Bar-Sela et al., 2007). In another study, people who coloured during hospital visits reported less stress, with many saying they would do it again (Barnes et al., 2019). In other medical contexts adult colouring books have been linked with reduced anxiety, such as in emergency hospital settings (Rajendran et al., 2020).

These benefits are not limited to one age group. While we often associate creative play with childhood, adults of all ages can benefit just as much from reconnecting with their creativity. Creative activities have been shown to support mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan, helping to reduce loneliness and depression, while improving physical and emotional health (Gorny-Wegrzyn & Perry, 2022). For children and young people, arts activities have been linked to increased self-esteem, better social connection, and improved resilience (Zarobe & Bungay, 2017). Our work on colouring found students experienced less stress after 2 weeks of colouring regularly (3 time per week; Palmer-Cooper et al, 2024)

Resilience is something we can all build, at any age, and not just during hard times. Creative practices help us express ourselves, regulate our emotions, and connect with others, all essential ingredients for building resilience. When we engage in creative activity regularly, we’re building habits that support our wellbeing. These habits become resources we can draw on when things feel overwhelming or uncertain.

This growing body of evidence points supports what many people already feel instinctively: creative activity is good for us. So whether you’re facing a specific challenge or looking to improve your wellbeing, creative activities might be for you! You don’t need to be an artist or have expensive materials. Just a bit of paper, some colours, and a willingness to begin.

We’ll be running more Coping Creatively workshops soon, and we’d love for you to join us.

Getting started: simple craft supplies for wellbeing

(Paid links)

Felt Tips and Crayons

These are (in my opinion) the best felt tips ever:

Adult Colouring Books

Dot colouring books

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

digital boundaries, emotional-wellbeing, mental wellbeing, mental-health, self-reflection, Uncategorized

How to take time away from tech

As Featured in Woman & Home, 11th June 2025

If you’re looking to reset your relationship with your tech, forming healthier habits is possible with a bit of thought, planning, and self-compassion.

Start with a Clear Goal

Before you jump into making changes, take a moment to think about why you want a healthier relationship with your tech. Defining your goal clearly can give you direction, a plan, and improve your motivation.

Ask yourself:

Is this a long- or short-term goal?
Can you break it into smaller steps?

Short-term goals help you stay on track and build confidence, while long-term goals provide something to strive for, which is linked to better wellbeing. For example, your overall goal might be to ‘Stop checking emails after work’. A useful short-term step could be setting a 10-minute window for emails, then putting your phone away for the evening, then muting notifications. You can make your tech work for you by using screen time limiters on specific apps after work.

Focus on the Positive

When setting goals, try to frame them as something you want to move towards rather than something you’re trying to avoid. Instead of a goal of ‘Stop using tech’, try ‘Spend more time doing things I enjoy in the evening’. Research shows that goals based on positive outcomes, rather than avoiding negatives, are more likely to improve your wellbeing and help you stay motivated.

Be Specific and Measurable

A vague goal like ‘Spend less time on my phone’ is hard to stick to. Instead, be specific: ‘Put my phone in another room for 10 minutes after dinner’. That way, you’ll be able to measure your progress and feel a sense of achievement as you stick to your goal. If you want to increase your time away from tech, you can set new goals as time goes on. Increasing your tech-free time to 20 or 30 minutes will help build the habit over time, and show how far you’ve come!

Picture Your Progress

A simple but effective way to stay on track is to use mental imagery. This means imagining yourself in the future, and the possibilities available to you as you work on and achieve your goals. Picture the steps you took to get there, what decisions you made, what challenges you overcame, and how you will feel when you’ve done it. You could visualise one week from now, then two weeks, a month, and so on. This process helps build belief in yourself and maintains motivation.

Make It Practical and Doable

A goal like ‘Spend more time on activities I enjoy’ sounds lovely, but what does that actually look like? Start small: even just 10 minutes focused on your interests can lead to big changes in your wellbeing, and build long-term habits around your tech use. Consistency is key. Choosing behaviours that you know are manageable regularly are more likely to lead to lasting success.

If you want hints and tips on how to make new, Happy Habits, try the Happy Habits Box or Positive Postcards; science-backed tools for everyday happiness.

emotional-wellbeing, mental wellbeing, self-reflection, stress

Navigating the ‘quarter-life-crisis’

As featured in The Mirror 01.02.2025

Increasing numbers of young adults are experiencing what they call a ‘quarter-life-crisis’.

Forget the mid-life-crisis stereotypes of a middle aged man buying a sports-car in his 50s. Now people in their 20s are struggling with life transitions and understanding world, and who they are within it.

Culturally the concept and transition to adulthood has changed and become longer than for past generations. Emerging adulthood is now not a transition stage but a full developmental phase that lasts from18 years to about age 29 years of age. Whereas in say the 1970s, people were in full time work, married and having their first child by 25, these traditionally ‘Big’ life events are happening up to 10 years later than in the 1970s.

In the present day, people in their 20s are still learning about their identity – who are they, what is their place in the world, what do they want to do with their life.

It is also a stage of great instability in terms of their environment, as people figure out who they are they are also navigating an ever changing employment and economic landscapes.

It is no surprise then that more half of emerging adults often experience anxiety, and a third report often feeling depressed. Even if this is not a clinical diagnosis, more complex living environments twinned with expectations that do not align with changing society can lead to more stress and negative impacts on mental wellbeing.

Emerging adulthood can bring opportunities

Though this period of life seems defined by uncertainty, it can also present a lot of opportunities. Having more time as an emerging adult allows for exploration, learning, and self-understanding, that can ultimately lead to more intentional life choices. Rather than viewing this stage as a crisis to be fixed, it may be more helpful to recognise it as a normal part of modern development.

A good way to navigate this new season of life is to ensure you have good social support, realistic expectations, and have open conversations with people around you. Ask for advice, help and support. Take time to make decisions and reflect on their outcomes.

By acknowledging the challenges of emerging adulthood and reframing them as part of a longer journey toward self-understanding, society can help reduce negative views of emerging adulthood and empower young people to find meaning and resilience in the face of change.

digital boundaries, emotional-wellbeing, mental wellbeing, mental-health

Creating digital boundaries for your mental health

As featured in Women’s Health; 13th May 2025

While technology has improved access to information and made life easier in many ways, it requires finding a balance. Smartphones have created both benefits and challenges in daily life.

After having my daughter, during a baby first-aid course, I was told my smartphone was the most powerful tool I could have on me if she suddenly fell poorly – you can ring someone for help immediately and search what to do while waiting. However ease of access to online spending has increased challenges faced by people experiencing gambling addiction and impulsive spending.

The pandemic drastically changed smartphone usage patterns, leading to increased reliance on digital communication to stay in touch with friends and family, and also adapt to working at home. But many people also experienced an increase in screen fatigue.

This can be addresed at work by doing things like blocking out time in your calendar so you know you won’t be called into a zoom meeting, or making space to move, breathe, or just take a break from your screen.

Research has shown associations between problematic phone use and conditions like anxiety and depression, though the causality remains unclear. There are suggestions that this relationship becomes cyclical, where anxiety leads to increased phone use, as with doom scrolling, which in turn fuels more anxiety. Other research shows that doomscrolling can enhance feelings of anxiety.

Identifying problematic use is about understanding how and why you’re using your phone. Are you picking it up out of necessity or habit? If you’ve set aside time to reply to messages, do you put your phone down afterwards or do you start scrolling mindlessly?

Setting boundaries with smartphone use is really important. Knowing if you have a tendency to use your phone in ways that don’t benefit you, such as spending money or losing time when scrolling, means you can start to set boundaries with a timer or “buy later” list.

There are some simple practical strategies you can use to start enforcing these boundaries, like blocking out specific times in your calendar for scrolling, messages or checking up on news.

Try turning off notification for everything, except emergency contacts, during working hours and when you go to sleep to avoid getting distracted. Carve out a specific time to respond, such as at lunchtime.

If you find yourself picking up your phone out of habit, try swapping it for another activity. The required conscious decision-making about when and how to use smartphones, but can lead to huge improvements in your wellbeing and provide more balance in your life.

Try the Happy Habits box to learn news ways to build resilience and wellbeing.

emotional-wellbeing, happy habits box, mental wellbeing, mental-health, positive postcards, self-reflection, stress

A Recipe for Moving and Coping

Lately, I’ve been asked a lot about movement and how it helps us cope. So, I’ve gathered up the key ingredients and put together a recipe of sorts. Like any good recipe, it’s flexible: you can mix and match to create your own personalised blend for mental wellbeing.

Move Your Body and Mind

It is clear that physical activity supports heart, joint and respiratory health, but it’s also an excellent way to improve mental wellbeing. Regular movement helps build resilience, our ability to adapt and cope with life’s challenges. Movement doesn’t need to be high-intensity workouts. Gardening, stretching, dancing in your kitchen, it all counts. What matters is getting your body involved in something different.

Find Your Joy

Joy is essential. Research consistently shows that regularly doing things we enjoy enhances and protects our mental wellbeing. Not only does it promote positive emotions like feelings of happiness, but it builds resilience. Choosing movement you actually like is one of the most effective ways to stay motivated and build a happy habit.

Connect to Feel Grounded

Connection is another mental wellbeing must-have. Feeling supported, emotionally and practically, helps us cope with stress more effectively. Doing something active with others combines the benefits of movement and social connection. Whatever you do, spending time with people we enjoy fosters our sense of belonging and reduces loneliness.

Step Into Greenspace

Simply being outside can benefit everyone, and pairing this with movement can enhance our wellbeing further. In our own research with university students, and, found that spending time outside had significant this benefit to mental wellbeing, and this was still clear when we accounted for other well-known positive influences like social connection, exercise, and mental health status.

But quality of greenspace matters. Look for places that feel safe, are well maintained, accessible, and offer opportunities to engage in different ways, like walking paths, open lawns, or spaces to sit and reflect. And remember, what makes a space appealing is personal: the “right” spot is the one that feels and looks good to you.

Move Mindfully

Mindfulness is consciously noticing the present moment without judgement. When we fully pay attention to our current environment, we can shift focus away from past and future worries. Combining this with movement in the outdoors makes for another wonderfully positive combination to promote our wellbeing.

Research shows that as little as 5–6 minutes of mindful walking can lead to noticeable improvements. Physically, it can reduce blood pressure and increase walking speed and ability. Psychologically, it supports better mood, reduces stress, distress, and anxiety, whilst increasing people’s state of mindfulness.

To walk mindfully, pay close attention to your surroundings, your breathing, your footsteps, and even the thoughts that come and go. Try not to label these experiences as good or bad, just notice them.

Flow and Focus

If mindful walking doesn’t come easily, you could try a colour walk. Intentionally pick out and notice details and colours in your surroundings as you walk. This helps keep you present and prevent mind-wandering. Alternatively, you could try mindful photography, by taking pictures of things that catch your attention or hold personal meaning. Later, reflect on those images: What does this photo represent? Why is it meaningful to me? These small moments of reflection can help cement positive experiences and deepen their impact.

Focusing on nature, even in our own garden, can help focus attention and bring about a sense of calm. Activities we enjoy and lose ourselves in, where time seems to slip away, are often described as “flow states,” and these have also been linked to improved mood and wellbeing.

Movement isn’t just about fitness, it’s a way of coping, connecting, and cultivating wellbeing. Whether it’s a walk with a friend, a solo stroll in the park, or a reflective photo session, what matters most is that it feels good and works for you.

Try This: Happy Habits & Positive Postcards

If you’re looking to build these practices into daily life, check out the Happy Habits Box – a toolkit designed to help you find joy in the everyday. Positive postcards provide ideas and guidance for small, everyday activities to promote positivity.

burnout, emotional-wellbeing, mental wellbeing, mental-health, stress

What Is Burnout?

As featured in The Mirror US 15/04/2025

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress. It’s not just “being stressed” or “having a bad week”—it’s a sign that our body and mind are saying, “I can’t keep going like this.”

People experiencing burnout often feel drained, cynical or detached, and may struggle to find motivation or meaning in tasks they once enjoyed. It’s a signal that our usual ways of coping have been exhausted.

And while it’s commonly associated with the workplace, burnout isn’t exclusive to the office. Parents, students, carers, volunteers—anyone facing chronic stress without sufficient relief or support can experience it.

What Causes Burnout?

Burnout arises when long-term stress exceeds our ability to manage it. That might look like constant workload with no downtime, lack of control or support in a role, emotional labour without recognition, or high self-imposed expectations with little margin for error.

Over time, when rest, social support, or meaningful breaks aren’t accessible or effective, our mental and physical resources reduce. Eventually, we stop coping.

How does it differ from stress?

Stress and burnout are related, but they’re not the same. Stress occurs when we feel a situation requires more of what is required than our current circumstances allow – such as time, energy, or more practical resources. There is often a sense of urgency, or anxiety. Burnout, on the other hand, feels empty, and people become detached from the task at hand

While stress might make you feel overwhelmed, burnout can make you feel like your tank is completely empty.

Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels.com

How can we recognise symptoms of burnout in ourselves?

Common warning signs include emotional exhaustion, cynicism or detachment from from work, relationships, or responsibilities, reduced performance, as well as physical symptoms like geadaches, insomnia, stomach problems, or a sense of being unwell.

How can we spot signs of burnout in others?

People experiencing burnout may not always say so outright. But you might notice they are more withdrawn, more irritable, missing deadlines or being more disorganised than usual, or they have a general sense of hopelessness or apathy.

How can you recover from burnout?

Recovering from burnout isn’t a quick fix—it’s about rebuilding balance and meaning in your life, as well as energy.

Genuine rest is really important – not just sleep, but time to be free from responsibilities and relax. Setting boundaries and ensuring work-life balance is maintained will help support this. Prioritising joy and indulging in things you enjoy and value can also help. There is also a lot of support available, whatever the reason for your burnout, so asking for help is a great step to recovery.