Technology can curb your wellbeing, but…
Screens follow us around constantly, like an annoying bug circling sweet fruit left out on a table. Always hovering behind our backs and readily available the moment we look up from the phones we carry around all day.
Technology has evolved into objects and gadgets that tend to steal away our time. It’s almost criminal the way we give ourselves the chance to let such a thing distract us from our task at hand or the priorities of the day. Our work has now seamlessly been converted to a more online-heavy environment where most of the time we are sitting in front of a screen. Lethargy and grogginess from being in front of screens can inhibit us to do the little things we need to do. Eating on time, sleeping on time, trying to get in some exercise — these are some of the activities that should be prioritized, but sometimes miss our radar.
I, too, find myself stuck in cyclical bad habits that I can’t get out of. I found that it is usually the reason of finding myself in front of screens constantly.
I wasn’t walking outdoors anymore, I wasn’t leaving my bed and I wasn’t partaking in activities that are important for my own mental wellbeing. Online environments can be super draining and that is when I started questioning technology and its effect in my life. I found that as much as technology can ruin many moments, it can also be supportive in improving my life. One quote that really hit me was — working isn’t who you are, it’s only what you do. It left me wondering about what am I doing with the time I spend in front of screens and how it is affecting my wellbeing.
Transforming our laptops, phones or tablets into a chance to seek a better lifestyle can really help curb the lethargy and exhaustion that comes from staring at screens all day. Technology can, ironically, help us focus, unwind, retap into nature, acquire new hobbies and even help us with our mental health issues. Using technology to our own advantage can start to unlock a true potential for us. But, only if we utilize it in the right way.
Essentially, I have found that we should treat our digital wellbeing the way we treat exercising. You don’t work out throughout the day, you set a time limit for it. You don’t just start a workout, you first warm-up and prepare yourself for the workout. You change clothes for a workout, you make sure to eat and drink enough water — there is a preparation and a routine that goes about before a workout. That is fundamentally how we should also treat our devices.
- Use your technology to practice time limits.
There are so many other activities and hobbies that we should also give our time to. Use the time limits you set for using your devices as a way to fill your life with more fun things that you enjoy. For example, if you have established that you will only sit on your laptop for work for 8 hours, find new ways to fill up the rest of the time to pack your life with more hobbies and experiences - Use your technology to improve your physical health and make sure it’s in check.
Prepare yourself before you start sitting on your devices. Do your stretches, take your breaks, and make sure that your technology isn’t the reason why you have physical health issues. Download apps that help you stay aware of your health. - Use your technology to start building a routine.
Routines might seem boring, but it is a perfect way to reinforce your healthy habits and start organizing your life in a way that benefits you. If you know you will be using your devices constantly throughout the day, then organize them using set time limits so that your time will be more managed. This way, it will allow you to experience your day, rather than dread it by being forced into doing things haphazardly. Download apps that help with productivity and routine-building habits. - Use your technology to tap into nature.
As humans, nature is a space for us to tap into ourselves. There is a reason why Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, philosophical transcendentalists of the 1800’s spoke about the importance of nature for humans. With our environments being urbanized and moved into more of an online platform, we sometimes miss moments to be in nature because it might not be readily available to us. But, that does not mean we cannot experience nature, technology can recreate these experiences for us in our homes. Turn off your work devices and put on nature sounds, cover your room in posters or lights that will help you escape into another world of your own. This can really boost your wellbeing.
All in all, enriching our lives with better habits or fulfilling activities can be challenging when technology can leave us feeling useless when we cannot get ourselves to chase healthier lives. But, curbing the damage that technology can do by utilizing our devices in a way that advantages us, we can begin to start improving our physical and digital wellbeing!
