MOST of us are in love with our mobile phones. Try to take them from us and you risk life and limb.

Now, though, new research suggests if you want to get a task done properly, you should turn off your phone and put it out of sight.

Researchers tested 40 Japanese undergraduates, splitting them into two groups with or without their phones. The group without the phones carried out tests looking for a particular character on the internet far better, with better attention span, than the group with the phones.

The problem is that we are now so concerned about missing out on calls or other communications we must check our phones regularly and have them with us at all times.

Plainly, this is quite unhealthy and now it’s also likely to affect our concentration on other things. The answer? Take regular breaks from your phone, and don’t panic.