Simple steps to boost your digital wellness today
You might be familiar with getting your physical health in order, but have you given thought to your digital health? Digital wellness is quite a new term, and while there are dozens of definitions which are mostly about crafting and maintaining a healthy relationship with technology, it’s becoming an important topic.
A 2023 Delloite study showed that 39% of respondents worry that their device usage may negatively affect their physical well-being, and one-third were concerned that their device usage may negatively affect their emotional well-being.
Digital tech influences most aspects of your life, and developing healthy digital habits is a present-day necessity. Begin with one or two tips, and then gradually build your healthier digital routines.
Start the day before you power up your devices. Check in with yourself before you check your tech. Your morning routines set up a pace for your day, and establishing nourishing ones pays back tenfold. We suggest sitting with a nice cup of coffee–no devices–and seeing how you feel.
Gadget free meal time. Whether you are enjoying your food alone or with someone, mealtime is a perfect time to unwind. Your food will definitely taste better and the moments with others will be more enjoyable without being accompanied by social media scrolling or news catch-up.
Create boundaries for yourself. We all know how doomscrolling, binge-watching, and information overload feel. Our smartphones often remind small Skinner Boxes that reward us with dopamine each time we perform an action. Want to break free? Set time limits with certain apps and app groups, as well as reminders to take breaks, turning off autoplay and infinite scroll. It’s time to unhook.
Simplify your screen. Want to use devices more purposefully instead of trapping over the luring icons and falling down the online rabbit hole? Simplify and declutter your Home Screen, organize your apps, use greyscale, and remove notifications. Your phone is designed to be addictive. Reorganize it to be purposive.
Make unplugging a group activity. Yes, it’s hard to stay off-screen when everyone around is glued to their phones. And, though it may feel like we’re interacting with others on social media, we’re losing the benefits of in-person communication. Take the lead and offer your family, friends, or colleagues to go for a phone-free hike, have an old-fashioned game night, enjoy a meal, coffee, or a walk, leaving your phones (and even smartwatches) aside.
Start your digital declutter. Unsubscribe from mailing lists, delete online accounts that are just hanging there, and cut unused subscriptions. This will not only give you peace of mind but also help keep your data safe and stop you from wasting money. Not sure how to see all of your online relationships with companies? Try Yorba to monitor and manage them easily.
Put your phone out of sight when you are not using it. Just keeping the devices out of your line of sight can improve your concentration your ability to retain information, and help reduce stress.
Create a tech-free time zone. Try actually scheduling your offline time. It can start from an hour daily and extend to a tech-free weekend once in a while. You might be surprised how many interesting things have been passing by while you were looking at your screen.
Enjoy your bedtime. From the stimulating content we are reading to the blue light our screens are emitting–the devices have all it takes to disrupt our sleep. Also, keep in mind that blue light filter apps are simply incapable of blocking all the blue light emitted by the screens of your gadgets. Using blue light-blocking glasses might be more effective, but the only foolproof way to avoid the negative effect tech has on our sleep is to stop using devices one or two hours before bedtime.
