St James Student Wellbeing 

Wellbeing

Digital Well-being: Balancing Technology for a Healthier Life

“It is not that the digital world is bad; it’s almost too good. It’s why everywhere you look everyone is on their phones, all the time”

- Tanya Goodwin

In today's digital age, technology has seamlessly integrated into our lives, offering convenience, connectivity, and endless opportunities. However, the rise of excessive screen time and its potential impacts on our well-being have become significant concerns. Finding a balance between our digital lives and maintaining our physical and mental health is crucial. In this article, we will delve into the impact of excessive screen time and explore ways to cultivate a healthy relationship with technology.

The Digital Invasion: Understanding the Impact

Excessive screen time, whether it's spent on smartphones, computers, or other devices, can have various negative effects on our well-being. From strained eyes and disrupted sleep patterns to reduced physical activity and social isolation, the consequences are far-reaching. Excessive screen exposure can also lead to increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy due to the curated nature of online content. There is also over stimulation: information overload with multi-tasking, and choice overload. Recognising these impacts is the first step towards taking control of our digital lives. 

Recently I attended a webinar by Dr Jacinta M Jimenez, she has a great story and wrote a book about “The Burnout Fix”. In her webinar she mentioned the need to do a digital audit to see where you are spending time in your digital life and to select what to keep, tweak, stop or start. Definitely involve your child in a digital audit, this is a skill they will need for life.

https://www.drjacintajimenez.com/

Maintaining a Healthy Balance: Tips for Digital Well-being

• Set Screen Time Limits: Establish daily time limits for using screens, both for work and leisure. Utilise device settings or third-party apps that help track and manage screen time, ensuring you stay within healthy boundaries. I know Apple phones have a screen time section where you can set downtime, app limits etc. The general consensus is to aim for between 2-3 hours a day of recreational time for adults, and for children aged 6 and older it will depend on parents determining appropriate limits based on individual needs and circumstances.  If excessive screen time leads to negative effects such as disrupted sleep, decreased physical activity, or strained relationships, it might be beneficial to reassess your habits and find a healthier balance.
• Prioritize Offline Activities: Dedicate time to activities that don't involve screens. Engage in hobbies, exercise, reading, or spending quality time with loved ones. Balancing screen time with offline pursuits enhances overall well-being.
• Digital Detox: Periodically disconnect from technology. Designate screen-free days or weekends to rejuvenate your mind and engage with the world around you. There is a trend where people are removing themselves from social media for the month of August. I like to have weekends away were we don’t use computers or phones and just enjoy nature, prayer, good food, and slow meditative cups of coffee :).
• Create Tech-Free Zones: Designate certain areas, such as the dining table or bedroom, as tech-free zones to promote face-to-face interactions and restful sleep.
• Practice Mindful Usage: Be conscious of how and why you use technology. Are you mindlessly scrolling? Practice mindful engagement by focusing on meaningful online activities.
• Online Safety and Privacy: Maintain your digital well-being by safeguarding your personal information. Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for online accounts.
• Social Media Boundaries: Set boundaries for social media usage. Unfollow accounts that cause negative emotions and be cautious of the time spent comparing yourself to others.
• Limit Screen Time Before Bed: Reduce exposure to screens before bedtime to improve sleep quality. The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with melatonin production, affecting your ability to fall asleep.
• Be a Role Model: Instil healthy tech habits in children and adolescents by setting a positive example of balanced screen time and offline activities.

Embracing a Balanced Digital Lifestyle

Embracing a balanced digital lifestyle is about being intentional with our technology usage. By recognising the potential downsides of excessive screen time and proactively implementing strategies for a healthier relationship with technology, we can regain control over our well-being.

Something that struck me about Dr Jacinta’s webinar is that she mentioned on an evolutionary time scale perspective, our living in urban areas, cities and digital life is only 0.01% compared to 99.99% in nature. So we need to reflect on our time over the week and ask, how much time did I spend in nature? Dr Jacinta lived an active and adventurous life, but in the end she burnt out and got a terrible sickness. But through that suffering and long recovery she learnt to stop and see the beauty in a flower, where before she would ride her bike past at a pace too fast to see it.

The benefits of nature are: lowers heart rate, boost immune system, improves ability to focus, decreases inflammation, increases compassion, increases your mood, lowers cortisol, boost creativity. All proven through research. But you probably already know it through personal experience. So schedule in some alone time in nature. I walk past Kamesburgh Gardens on the way to School and that brief moment always inspires me, the flowers are coming out now also!

In our pursuit of digital well-being, let us remember that technology is a tool meant to enhance our lives, not dominate or consume them. By setting boundaries, engaging in mindful usage, and prioritising real-world interactions, we can harness the benefits of technology without sacrificing our physical and mental health. Just as we strive for balance in our diet and exercise, achieving equilibrium in our digital lives is essential for a holistic sense of well-being.

Corey Payton 

Chaplain