“Curious if you have any internet resolutions this year and what they are?”
Hi there, and Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed a restful holiday season with friends and/or family, and that you’re having a wonderful start to 2025. (Can you believe that we’re half-way through the decade?) It might be a new year, with lots of change ahead…but you know what’s not changing? The fact that you’ll be getting new Ask Trish content, here and in video form on TikTok, every week! I’m so excited for another year of Ask Trish…keep your questions coming!
To start this year off, we have a very relevant question about “internet resolutions,” or, as I like to call them, “digital resolutions.” A huge “thank you” to this week’s question-er for raising this question; indeed, the start of a new year is the perfect time to look back, reflect on one’s digital practices, and set some goals for the year ahead. How do you want to rethink your relationship with your devices and the internet in 2025? We all have ways that we could improve our online/tech behaviors–even me!–and better digital behavior = a more fulfilling digital experience and a healthier body and mind. I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty good to me. To help y’all get started setting your digital resolutions, in this week’s brief post, I’m going to offer y’all (1) some questions to think about as you consider what goals you might want to set, (2) some tips on what an ideal digital resolution should look like, and (3) I’ll share one of my digital resolutions for 2025, as an example! You’ll notice that this post is a little shorter than normal…because once you’ve read it, I want you to take those extra few minutes to start brainstorming what your digital resolutions might be. Share your resolutions with me in the comments section of this week’s TikTok video!
Sound like a plan? Let’s get into it:
First and foremost, what should you be thinking about as you set your digital resolutions. Here are some questions that I recommend pondering over:
- What do you currently like about your relationship with your devices and the internet, and why do you think that is?
- What do you currently not like about your relationship with your devices and the internet, and why do you think that is?
- How would you describe how you “show up” on social media, whether via posting, scrolling, or liking? Do you feel good about that digital presence? Why or why not?
- How much time do you currently spend on your phone? (Most smartphones can tell you how many hours each week you spend on your phone.) Does that number feel right to you? Too high? Too low?
- Do you feel like you’re getting what you want out of your phones/social media? What’s missing?
- Was there anything you said you’d do, phone/social media-wise, in 2024…but didn’t do? Why didn’t it happen?
- What would your ideal relationship with your devices and social media look like?
Hopefully, that will get your wheels turning. But then, you might wonder…I have a bunch of thoughts, but I’m not quite sure how to translate them into resolutions. Try the following:
- Start with the end goal that’s in your mind–say, spending less time on your phone, and work backwards. How do you see yourself getting there? Identify the relevant action(s).
- Think about a reasonable timeline to put those actions into practice.
- Consider if there’s any way to reward yourself for making good on an action. (I personally like a sweet treat!)
- Brainstorm any potential pitfalls that might obstruct your progress. Proactively thinking through what might go wrong can help you avoid falling into these traps.
And now, perhaps, you’re thinking: Okay, Trish. That makes sense. Can I see an example? I got you. See below one of my digital resolutions for 2025:
- I resolve to spend less time on my phone on the weekends–and more time in nature, instead. To make it happen, I’m going to set time limits on certain apps on the weekends. I’m also going to schedule other activities–ideally, outdoors, in nature–with which to spend my time instead. If I hit my hour limit, I’ll reward myself with some Ben & Jerry’s. I know I might feel tempted to pick up my phone…so I plan to report my progress to an accountability buddy.
See? It’s actually pretty simple! That resolution took me a few minutes to ponder over, and then a few minutes to write. And now, I have a plan for setting better digital boundaries in 2025.
Now, it’s your turn. Get to work on those digital resolutions! And…when you have a moment, please share any new internet-related thoughts and musings with me here. As always, remember–nothing is off limits. I’m excited to explore a broad range of topics with y’all this year. So ask away! I can’t wait to hear from you.
Have a great week,
Trish