As the new year dawns, it brings with it new promises and resolutions to improve ourselves. While the usual pledges focus on bettering physical health or financial situations, we’re here to center on an area that often gets neglected: technology use.
Technology helps us with our tasks, but those that are deeply interwoven into our lives (like our phones or social media) have the potential to be harmful if we’re not careful. Ultimately, it depends on us whether we utilize technology to help or hurt us.
Technology & Mental Health
Your brain acts like an unguarded sponge – if you keep checking your notifications, endlessly scrolling through social media, or using your phone for hours without end, it could easily get overwhelmed. And if what you’re taking in is toxic, you’ll end up poisoning yourself. Here are some ways technology can be bad for your mental health:
Social Media Envy
Social media is a lie; we know this and yet we act like it’s not. What we see are other people’s highlight reels, not their real lives. It’s like watching a movie trailer; they only show the best parts. No matter how well you’re doing, your real life – all the mess, mundanity, and insecurities – can’t compare to the carefully curated image maintained by others on social media.
Screen Overload
Anything excessive is bad. Disproportionate screen time not only strains your eyes, it also disrupts your brain’s ability to relax, especially before bed. Furthermore, too much gadget use distracts you from doing other productive things.
Endless Notifications
Notifications have their uses, but don’t push it too far. We have cultivated a habit of instantaneous expectations and a culture of being permanently on-call. There is no way that this is good for our mental health. Having always-on notifications interrupt your focus and make it hard to concentrate or unwind.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
“Comparison is the thief of joy,” (Theodore Roosevelt) and this piece of wisdom is so evident when you’re on social media. You’re perfectly fine with your life, happy, hopeful… then BAM! You’re suddenly filled with discontentment, you feel left out, and you begin thinking your life will never be worth much. All you did was look at posts by your contacts – their parties, trips, new acquisitions, new hobbies – and now all your joy is gone. Your perfectly fine life now looks so bland.
New Year’s Resolutions to Protect Your Mental Health
New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be complicated. There are simple, realistic steps you could take that could help you maintain a healthier relationship with technology. Like small seeds that can grow into better habits over time, the key here is to start and to keep at it.
Create Tech-Free Zones and Times
Designate tech-free zones (like the dining table and your bedroom). You could also cordon-off tech-free times, like the hour before sleep or during meals. It might seem hard at first because we treat our ‘free’ moments like they’re a waste of time and we’d rather fill it with social media, but that’s not the case. We NEED those tech-free moments. As award-winning writer Neil Gaiman said, “You have to let yourself get so bored that your mind has nothing better to do than tell itself a story.” Creativity blossoms when you’re not bombarded with input.
To help you, use the ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode on your phone to silence notifications during tech-free times. Apps like Forest can encourage you to stay off your phone and focus on the moment.
Set Limits on Social Media Use
Study after study has shown that social media is designed to encourage continuous usage – a euphemism for fostering addiction. You can’t casually fight something structured to undermine your self-control. You have to be resolute. You have to be mindful.
First, set a time for social media scrolling – maybe after meals. Then, impose a time limit (maybe 30 minutes). This might feel difficult at first, but it will get easier once it becomes a habit. You can use the ‘Screen Time’ feature on iPhones or the ‘Digital Wellbeing’ on Android to set app limits.
Turn Off Unnecessary Notifications
Do you really need every app in your phone to have its notifications on? Choose those that are really necessary. Notifications are like insistent little pokes – they steal your attention regardless if you’re doing something important. Decide which ones are truly imperative (like calls or texts from family) and silence the rest.
Try a Weekly Digital Detox
Give your brain its own spa day. Designate a specific day when you’d take a break from non-essential technology. Use this reclaimed time for activities you enjoy, or hobbies you’ve neglected lately - like reading, drawing, or spending time outdoors.
Be Mindful of What You Follow Online
There’s wisdom in the old adage “You are what you eat”. You need to be careful about the content that you consume because it’s like food for your brain. If you follow accounts that inspire you, make you laugh, or challenge you to be better, your mind thrives. But if you follow accounts that doesn’t contribute to your growth, make you feel bad, or make you worse as a person, then you’re setting yourself up for ‘content-poisoning’.
Be ruthless in unfollowing unworthy accounts on Instagram or Twitter. Use something like Google Keep to save uplifting or interesting articles you find online for later reading.
Prioritize Real-Life Connections
While online friends are a real thing, investing in real-world connections ultimately pay-off so much more. Actively choose to be physically present with people you care about. Go and do activities offline that pique your interest.
This year, make the commitment to using technology in ways that improve your mental health instead of draining it. Remember, you’re meant to master technology – not let it master you. By being mindful and taking small, intentional steps, you can enjoy the benefits of technology without sacrificing your mental health.