Digital Wellbeing | Annette White-Klososky | TEDxUCO

Summary

The speaker candidly discusses their personal struggle with an unhealthy relationship with technology, which led to negative impacts on their personal and professional life. They share their journey towards digital wellness through the Digital Wellness Institute, where they became certified. The essence of digital well-being is the balanced use of technology without it disrupting one's peace or focus. The speaker highlights alarming statistics about the effects of excessive screen time on mental health and productivity, and offers practical tips for creating digital boundaries and maintaining a healthy relationship with technology. They emphasize the importance of being intentional with technology use, setting boundaries, and being aware of one's triggers and needs. The talk concludes with a challenge to the audience to examine their own relationship with screens and consider making changes for a healthier digital life.

Takeaways

• 📱 The speaker fell in love with their screens, which became a toxic relationship affecting personal and family life.
• 💔 Technology addiction can lead to a decrease in focus, inner peace, and can interfere with personal relationships.
• 🌟 Digital well-being is about balancing the use of technology without it impeding one's balance or peace.
• ⚖️ Intentionality is crucial in using technology; it's about focusing on accomplishing goals rather than aimless scrolling.
• 📉 Research from the Digital Wellness Institute shows alarming statistics about employee fear of unplugging, dissatisfaction, and the impact on productivity.
• 💰 There's a significant economic cost to mental health issues in the workplace, with billions spent on lost productivity.
• 📈 The pressure to be constantly connected and productive is increasing with advancements in technology like AI and virtual reality.
• 🧠 The prefrontal cortex, responsible for focus and decision-making, can become fatigued from overuse of technology, leading to memory loss and inability to focus.
• 🚫 Setting boundaries with technology is essential for maintaining balance and well-being.
• 🔄 It's important to be aware of one's triggers and needs, such as sleep or a change of scenery, to avoid numbing behaviors like excessive screen time.
• 📉 The modern work culture often lacks digital boundaries, leading to a constant expectation of availability and increased stress.

Q & A

What is digital well-being?

Digital well-being is the balance of being able to use technology, applications, programs, and AI without impeding or restricting your balance or peace. It involves having intention for what you're doing, maintaining focus, and ensuring that you're accomplishing the goals you're trying to achieve.

What is the Digital Wellness Institute?

The Digital Wellness Institute is an organization that the speaker went through a program with and became certified. It focuses on awareness and healing related to digital well-being, helping individuals understand and manage their relationship with technology.

Why did the speaker feel the need to address digital well-being?

The speaker felt the need to address digital well-being because of their personal experience with technology addiction, which impacted their inner peace, ability to focus, and personal relationships. They recognized the negative effects on mental health and productivity and wanted to help others avoid similar issues.

What are some statistics mentioned in the transcript regarding the impact of technology on employees?

Some statistics mentioned include: 30% of employees fear unplugging, 40% feel unfulfilled due to lack of work-life balance, 90% of organizations find personal device use distracting, and $44 billion is spent on lost productivity due to employee mental health issues.

How has screen time in the workplace increased?

Screen time in the workplace has increased from 8.1 hours to 11.1 hours, indicating a longer connection to work and a lack of separation between work and personal life.

What is the role of the prefrontal cortex in relation to technology use?

The prefrontal cortex is involved in distractability, perseveration, and impulsive behaviors. Excessive use of technology can lead to fatigue in this area of the brain, resulting in memory loss, difficulty focusing, and an inability to read emotional sensitivities.

What is the speaker's advice for creating a digital diet?

The speaker suggests being intentional about what you consume and when, and how much, similar to how one would create a diet for eating. This involves setting boundaries and being mindful of the time spent on screens and the activities performed on them.

What are some tips the speaker provides for improving digital well-being?

Tips include generating versus stimulating, designating devices for specific purposes, traveling slow to be present, setting expectation margins, having mindful meetings, practicing mindful communication, and being aware of personal state to avoid numbing behaviors.

How does the speaker suggest using technology to improve productivity?

The speaker suggests using technology to complete tasks more efficiently, but also emphasizes the importance of reaping the rewards of that increased productivity, rather than just expecting more work.

What is the importance of setting boundaries when it comes to technology use?

Setting boundaries is key to achieving balance and well-being. Without boundaries, one can become overwhelmed and lose focus, leading to decreased productivity and potential mental health issues.

How does the speaker propose to make technology use more intentional?

The speaker proposes being more intentional by setting clear goals for technology use, designating specific devices for specific tasks, and creating a digital diet that involves mindful and focused interactions with technology.