Heather Large: Perfect antidote to pressure, take a walk and switch off!

But it didn't matter at all. We had deliberately taken the unbeaten path - well unbeaten by us anyway - in a bid to avoid our usual walking routes around Sutton Park.

With there being nowhere we needed to be for the rest of the day and no other distractions taking our attention and time, we found there was a simple joy to be found in getting lost.

If we came to a crossroads we chose a track to wander down randomly and if the path suddenly spurred off to the left or right we followed it to see where we would end up.

As we walked and chose different tracks through the woodland or the windy pathways over the open heathland, we chatted about everything and anything.

The dark and threatening clouds that greeted us on our arrival had given way to bluer skies and the odd flashes of sunshine.

Realistically I knew we could never be truly lost because we were staying within the park and the worst that was going to happen was a longer trek back to our car than planned.

And I'm loathed to admit that we always had Google Maps as a backup if we had to make a mad dash back before the park gates closed for the night.

But it was still fun to be pleasantly lost and exploring new areas of the park we hadn't seen before because we knew we would find our way if we just keep going.

And as we finally meandered back to the car, we realised despite having been walking for three and a half hours, with the occasional drink break, we felt incredibly relaxed.

In that time neither of us had checked our phones or our watches. There was no pressure on us to be anywhere else, we could just enjoy being outside in the fresh air and enjoy each other's company.

It proved to be the perfect antidote to a hectic week of deadlines, meetings and the daily commute.

I know I'm as guilty for being glued to my phone when I could be using that time doing something more constructive.

Every morning, I get up, check my emails, Facebook, open up Twitter and check several news websites as I drink my first cup of coffee of the day.

Throughout the day it can be usually found by my side and I will check the latest updates on social media and respond to messages from family and friends.

And I'm certainly not alone in thinking this maybe isn't healthy as a recent survey showed that more than half of people in their 20s and 30s had the same fears about excessive use of smart phones.

But I'm determined to start limiting myself to how much I spent browsing social media going forward.

After doing a bit of research I've found some handy tips I intend to try out including ensuring it's not the last thing I see at night and the first thing I check in the morning by charging it in another room.

I do use it as an alarm clock but I don't really need to as we have a traditional one too that my boyfriend always sets anyway.

I've already turned off all social media notifications so these don't tempt me to check my phone when I hear a beep or see them flash up on the screen.

And rather than relying on it for a camera when I go out somewhere new, I want to get back into the habit of taking my trusty DSLR with me instead. Yes, it's bigger and heavier but the photo quality is much better.

After one of the warmest Easter's on record, we are all starting to believe that summer will soon be here.

The sunnier weather brings plenty of opportunities for getting outside and away from indoor distractions so I intend to make the most of this.

Last week, I accidentally left my iPhone at home while we were out for the day.

I did have a a sudden panic about why it wasn't in my bag, but after thinking back to my final movements before walking out of the house and remembering where I had left it, I didn't actually miss it at all.

It wasn't there to be checked and I didn't feel the need to pick it up. Although I wouldn't want to do this all the time as I don't like the idea of driving without it in case I break down, it did make me realise that when it's out of sight, it's out of mind.