Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. I refer to “HKU expert questions need for people to wear masks while hiking” ( March 24 ). While I respect Dr Leung Chi-chiu’s professional knowledge and expertise, I cannot agree with his assessment that country parks can be more dangerous than restaurants. I have been on a number of hikes in the past few months. The countryside is indeed very spacious. If you see a crowd approaching, the sensible thing to do to protect yourself is to put on your face mask. But if you do not see anyone in the vicinity, why would you need to wear it? By contrast, in a typical local cafe, physical space is so limited that owners often pack tables close to each other, even though they should be complying with social distancing regulations. In country parks, meanwhile, hikers have the choice of waiting for people to pass or going another way to avoid them. I think we are sensible enough to be able to decide for ourselves. As for taking a jog in the park: sure, we can lower the intensity of our workout. However, we are also sensible enough to keep a good distance from each other and the open space allows us to do so. It is entirely different from working out at an indoor gym. I wish our leaders or experts could appreciate that it is very difficult to breathe properly when you are running with your face mask on, even for joggers who aren’t doing a too demanding workout. Moreover, the physically strong need to inhale more oxygen than a casual jogger like me. I really do not understand why the general public cannot be treated like grown-ups and allowed to exercise in open space without having a mask on. After all, shouldn’t the government encourage people to do regular exercise to keep healthy and build up their immune system? For many, having to wear a mask at all times means missing out, as being able to exercise indoors is a luxury not everyone can afford, especially those who live in subdivided units with very limited private space. I am really baffled by this measure as it really does not make sense. Yin Ling Lee, To Kwa Wan The next chief executive will have their work cut out The spotlight is currently on the election of the city’s sixth chief executive, with John Lee Ka-chiu as the only candidate to be approved. As an international city, Hong Kong has been affected by changes both political and economic. In addition, now that the national security law has been enacted, we can expect national and regional safety to become more of a priority. Understandably, our leadership will need to be tough to get the city in line. As such, I have many expectations of this new leader that once led the police force. Carrie Lam once described the government as a hot kitchen and I hope John Lee will have great heat resistance. But softness is needed in politics as well. Finally, you need to be politically astute when faced with many different changes, domestic and international. Randy Lee, Ma On Shan Phones kept us connected during Covid, but isolated us too There is no denying that the Covid-19 pandemic has made us more dependent on our phones than ever before. With fewer opportunities for physical contact, many of our daily activities that were traditionally done in person are now done on smartphones. Beyond performing pragmatic tasks, we also spend a lot of time aimlessly swiping – for example, checking updates on social media or watching TikTok videos. This passive use of smartphones provides an easy escape from real-world challenges, such as the distressing reality of the pandemic. However, for all its benefits, you may have also found yourself feeling a sense of emptiness after smartphone use. It might therefore be time to detach yourself from your device. Here are two reasons why less phone time will benefit you. The first relates to happiness. Smartphones provide more short-term hedonic happiness (focused on maximising pleasure) than long-term eudaemonic happiness (focused on finding meaning in life). Think about the pleasant, even addictive feeling of playing Candy Crush or watching a funny video online – that is hedonic happiness. In contrast, eudaemonic happiness is oriented towards personal growth. As such, it requires greater effort to achieve. Whether going on a rigorous hike, accomplishing a challenging project at work, or volunteering, the sense of satisfaction we get from developing ourselves contributes to greater meaning in life – the key to eudaemonic happiness. The second benefit of putting your smartphone down is that it helps improve attention and focus. Research has found that simply having your phone lying around contributes to distraction and lowers cognitive capacity. We are so conditioned to listen for the “ping” of our phones that we make greater demands on our already finite cognitive resources. To prevent smartphones from impeding your productivity in daily life, start by setting some boundaries you know you can keep. Whether it is reading, working or playing with your kid, set a mindful intention to leave your phone in another room (on silent!) and be fully present and engaged for a full 30-minute block. With time, you can steadily increase the duration. ‘It’s an illness’: boom in businesses offering to end smartphone addiction Throughout the pandemic, smartphones have no doubt been a lifesaver. Without them, remote work and staying connected with family and friends around the world would not have been possible. The trick, of course, is to ensure that smartphones remain a helpful tool that affords us everyday convenience, instead of becoming a crutch. Dr Fangyuan Chen, Faculty of Business, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Dr Bonnie Hayden Cheng, HKU Business School