1. Thou shalt not take thy iPad to bed
You'll stay up too late, wake up too early and doom scroll too much.
2. Thou shalt not leave a voicemail
Seriously, it's 2024. Nobody even knows how to listen to their voicemail anymore. Send a text or a WhatsApp message.
3. Thou shalt not have thy phone's ringtone set to 'loud'
Unless someone you love is in hospital or you're outside in a storm awaiting your exam results.
4. Thou shalt not keep the television on when a guest is visiting
If you're reading Country Life, you probably don't need to be told this. However, it's worth repeating anyway.
5. Thou shalt prefer sunshine to screen time
An exception can be made for vampires and those with skin conditions exacerbated by direct exposure to sunlight. Everyone else, go outside and touch some grass.
6. Thou shalt keep thy mobile device clean
Do we really need to spell out where you've been using it?
7. Thou shalt remember that a phone can be used to make voice calls
Bonus point for initiating those voice calls. But also, remember point 2.
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness about 'being terrible with technology'
That nonsense might have washed in 1988, but not anymore. If you can tie your own shoelaces, you can use a mobile phone or a laptop
9. Thou shalt be patient when awaiting a reply to thy WhatsApp message
Just because the little blue ticks say it's been read, doesn't mean I have the time or headspace to reply within eight seconds
10. Thou shalt not consider thy voice assistant a meaningful relationship
If you're calling out a woman's name in the bedroom, it shouldn't be 'Alexa'. This applies even if they are actually called 'Alexa' — you don't want the neighbours' devices to be listening in at that particular moment
The Last Word: 'Portmeirion’s charm is rooted in eccentricity and this is why I love the place'
Pamela Goodman travels to north Wales in a rusty Land Rover Defender, where long walks, wild swimming and a visit
Credit: Simotion via Getty Images/iStockphoto
To Oliver Walston: A visionary, a farmer and a friend
Carla Carlisle writes of her friend Oliver Walston, who was often known for 'thinking the unthinkable and saying the unsayable'
Curious Questions: Why do we still love pirate stories, 300 years on from Blackbeard?
Tales of swashbuckling pirates have entertained audiences for years, inspired by real-life British men and women, says Jack Watkins.
Credit: Getty
'Water was coming in through the roof, the windows and the stone walls. It caused mushrooms to grow in the bedrooms, and sizeable bits of the ceiling to detach themselves without notice'
Water, water everywhere for Jonathan Self — especially in the places where you'd least want to have it.
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Why it’s imperative that schoolchildren have access to art and design classesThe UK’s creative industries are worth £124.6 billion, but suitable classes are being stripped from the curriculum. Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A, outlines what the Museum is planning to do about it.
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The Country Life Christmas message by Revd Dr Colin Heber-Percy: ‘The most powerful person in the world’ is not an emperor, high priest or CEO, but a helpless baby in the arms of a loving motherRevd Dr Colin Heber-Percy on how Christmas shows us that ‘the most powerful person in the world’ is not an emperor, or a high priest or the CEO of a tech company, but a helpless baby in the arms of a loving mother.
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10 ways to save the planet, according to Country LifeThere are many practical ways in which we–individuals, groups and Government–can make a difference to our planet, both locally and nationally. As the General Election looms, we present 10 areas where improvement is badly needed.
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Minette Batters: We need to trade on a level playing fieldAfter six years leading Britain's largest farming union, Minette Batters talks life after the NFU and why MPs of all parties need to take farming more seriously.
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British Library cyber attack is a wake up call to the cultural sectorThankfully, physical objects are safe from cyber warfare, but our cultural institutions need to sit up and take notice, warns Athena
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‘The love we share at Christmas is a refuge. It replenishes our depleted batteries and allows us to go out again into the world’: The 2023 Country Life Christmas message, by Revd Colin Heber-PercyA safe haven, a refuge for rest and relaxation, the place we feel we belong—the concept of ‘home’ differs for each of us. At Christmas, home is so much more than a physical location: it is all around, says the Revd Colin Heber-Percy.
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The true story of St Valentine, his legend and legacy of loveWhatever the truth of the real St Valentine, the middle of February has been a favourite time for lovers since records began. We take a look at the curious history of St Valentine, and how an ancient martyr came to be remembered as a champion of romantic love.
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Country Life's top columns and features of 2022From the characters that inhabit the Highlands to the columnist who got The Queen out of a sticky situation, here are our most popular columns, features and curious questions of 2022.
