We spend almost half our waking hours in front of screens – Are we truly present when we’re together?

A1 Serbia, through #BoljiOnline, raises awareness and provides solutions for balancing online and offline life.

Did you know that as many as 26% of people look for their phone while it is already in their hand? Research also shows that we spend an average of 6 hours and 40 minutes online every day, while many of us check our phones for the first time just minutes after waking up. In such an environment, we are increasingly losing the balance between the online and offline world and becoming less present in everyday moments.

Today, technology makes communication, work, learning, and everyday tasks easier, connects us with family and friends, and opens up countless opportunities. On the other hand, excessive phone use and screen time negatively affect our focus, energy, and relationships with others, while “just checking something quickly” often turns into much more time than we originally planned.

That is why A1 Serbia, through its #BoljiOnline platform, is launching a broader social conversation about excessive technology use and its impact on quality of life.

“At A1 Serbia, we believe our responsibility does not end with providing a reliable and high-quality network. It is equally important how we use technology in our everyday lives. We believe technology should make life easier and bring us closer together, and through the #BoljiOnline platform, we provide practical advice, tools, and support that help people use technology more wisely and safely, while also creating space for moments when undivided attention matters most. With the message ‘Be Present When We’re Together,’ we want to remind people that technology should serve us — but that we should also know when it is time to take a break. That is why A1 Serbia invites all citizens to visit the platform and discover content that can be useful for themselves and their loved ones,” said Judit Albers, General Manager of A1 Serbia.

On the platform betteronline.rs, experts from the Institute for Digital Communications have created practical tools and advice designed to help people reduce the feeling of constant availability, better manage screen time, and develop healthier digital habits. Through topics such as digital detox, focus, mental well-being, and spending more meaningful time with loved ones, #BoljiOnline offers support to everyone who wants technology to work for them — not the other way around.

In addition, as part of this social initiative, the School of Responsible Influence — one of the key pillars of the platform — is introducing new modules dedicated to balance in the digital space. Through the #BoljiOnline national competition, students across Serbia will also have the opportunity to reflect on their own habits through knowledge tests and personal experience, while learning how to build a healthier relationship with technology.