“Hi Trish. I want to build a better relationship with my devices, do you have some activities I can do?”
Hi there, and welcome back to another week of Ask Trish! I hope you’re all well and enjoying a wonderful end to August. (Yes…we are already at the end of another month. September is nearly here!)
Thank you so much to this week’s question-er for the fantastic question. First and foremost, I applaud you for wanting to hone a healthier, more fulfilling relationship with your devices. It can take folks – including adults – years to realize that they’ve fallen into bad digital/tech habits, so to speak – and then many more years to rewire and rebuild their relationships with their devices. So kudos to you for having come to this realization! I also love your interest in “activities” to build a better relationship with your devices. Indeed, it is daily activity – daily practices and exercises – that can help us rethink and reframe how we interact with tech and the internet. One step at a time, we can shift the balance of power, so that we use our devices in ways that make us happy…not the other way around.
In that vein, in this week’s (very brief) post, I’m going to offer y’all several “digital wellness practices” that you can put into action in September. If you’re serious about rethinking your relationship with your devices, I’d suggest using these suggested exercises as a jumping off point to brainstorm additional exercises – including exercises that are a better fit for you/your needs – and putting together a little “exercise schedule” for the month, so you know exactly what you’ll be doing when. (I find that a plan always helps me!)
Again, this post is pretty brief…but I hope you’ll take the extra time you have after reading it to put together your schedule. Sound like a plan? Okay. Let’s get into my recommended September Digital Wellness Practices:
- Put your phone away at least 1 hour before bed. Find something else to do before bed, whether it’s your skincare routine, or reading a book.
- Go for a walk with a friend, but don’t bring your phone OR if you’d like your phone with you for safety reasons, turn it off/put it someplace you can’t easily reach it. Notice how many times you unconsciously reach for your phone; in fact, if you can, keep a tally. Do this several times over the month, and notice if the number changes.
- Instead of texting and DMing, call the person you’re in touch with. I know…a phone call?! Yes. That’s what phones were originally created to do! Notice how this type of interaction makes you feel, whether anxious or fulfilled. Why do you think that is?
- Take a social media break for a week (or maybe even the month). Lots of popular social media platforms, including Instagram, even allow you to hide your social media profile/go dark temporarily. Alternatively, you can just delete the app on your phone. I know this one might be hard…but try it. How does it make you feel?
- Set time limits on certain apps. If taking a social media hiatus is just too darn hard, consider setting some limits instead. Many smartphones make this really easy to do; just check your Settings!
- Take a peek at your Privacy settings. Speaking of settings…when’s the last time you looked at your social media privacy settings? If a while ago – or never – now’s your chance. This is a great way to protect yourself, and to switch on/off settings that can help you develop a less dependent relationship with your devices.
- Seek some joyful content online. Go onto your favorite social media app, and browse a bit, until you find some content that makes you feel good/full of joy. Notice what you’re looking at…is it what you expected?
- Post an unfiltered selfie. Ahhhh! I know! Give it a try – you might just love it, and your followers will too.
I hope that at least some (if not all!) of these practices resonate with you. Best of luck as you embark on this journey next month. I’m so proud of you all for doing this!
Have a great week,
Trish