Mindfulness for Technology

Introduction

Technology use has become a daily routine for many individuals, offering positive experiences such as connections, support, and convienice that would not be possible without it. Awareness surrounding the negatives that come with this usage can help reduce side effects that lead to poor mental health. Finding a balance between building connections online and being mindful of when it is time to lessen technology time can set you up for a healthier lifestyle.

Online Interactions

Increased feelings of depression, isolation, and anxiety may derive from interactions online that may not have come about while communicating face to face. Since social media is used to post exciting positive experiences and interactions, individuals may find themselves themselves holding unrealistic standards for themselves. This overall leads to less life satisfaction and insecurities. It is easier said than done to step away from using social media but apps and ads are designed to capture attention and keep the user addicted. Look out for target posts and ads to distance yourself from being fully immersed into social media. Recognizing that people tend to put their best selves out on the internet can cultivate realistic expectations to hold for themselves. Find what expectations you would like to hold for yourself by eliminating the comparison component. What are your own standards in life that you would be satisfied with?

Harmful Convenience

Constant scrolling, also known as doom scrolling, has become a common barrier to enjoying internet use. How do we change this pattern for ourselves? Be more mindful of what you would like to see on your feed. Go out of your way to look up videos you would like to watch rather than going straight to scrolling, where you can get lost mindlessly. Set timers on your phone or restrictions within the app to gain awareness of how much time you would like to spend on social media. Recognize some videos or information are exaggerated and are used to invoke strong emotions such as anger or sadness, to receive more interactions from the user. Take time to take a deep breath and step away to prevent further emotions that may affect you for the rest of the day.

Less Sleep

Checking in with sleep, eating habits, thought patterns, and the environment you surround yourself with is important to build up mental health. How are your habits with technology before bed? It may be behind Anxiety and stressful thoughts at night. The blue light that comes from a screen prevents quality sleep. Sleep is important for regulating emotions and a lack of it leads to negative behaviors or responses. Along with feeling tired from lack of sleep, one may find it harder to manage stressors that do occur in life. This leads into a cycle of needing more technology to distract ourselves from the stressors that feel too hard to handle. Furthermore, interactions on social media and the notifications that constantly pop up on your phone create a state of urgency. Give yourself time to unwind by limiting yourself only to important notifications and plan technology usage hours before bed if possible .

Conclusion

While technology has improved our society and connections in a number of ways, it is important to stay cautious of the negative impact it may have on our mental health. Recognizing your usuage patterns and what restrictions need to be made will help you navigate towards better focus, reduced anxiety, and better life satisfaction.