The Center for Student Wellness (CSW) believes the constant presence of technology can take a toll on our well-being. Let’s reflect on how our digital lifestyle impacts our physical, social and emotional health and learn easy strategies to optimize our digital well-being that will allow us to engage with technology more mindfully.Ìý
Begin your digital wellness journey here
- Block off at least 1 hour per day to engage in an activity without technology
- Take a blinking break. Try the 20-20-20 Rule: for every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for a full 20 seconds
- When you are traveling between classes, keep your phone in your backpackÌý
- Try to make more phone calls or video chats rather than communicating through text or social media
- Unfollow profiles that cause angst and replace them with profiles that encourage or inspire you
- Write down intentions for why and how you want to be online then post them by your desk
- Impose a natural stopping cue in your social media scrolling habits (e.g. only look at the first 10 stories/posts). You can repeat this multiple times daily, stopping after your self-imposed limit
- Delete your least favorite app from your phone
- Turn off social media notificationsÌý
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Technology itself can be used as a tool to improve your digital wellness. Example: time monitoring apps, reminders to get off screens, and meditation apps.
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Studies show that individuals who spend less time on social media have higher levels of satisfaction with their lives and a greater sense of connectedness to others.
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90% of college-aged students compare themselves to peers within 15 minutes of waking up.
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