Practical Tips for Smarter Tech Use and a Happier Life
Making changes in how we use technology can be easier said than done.
Our lifestyle relies increasingly on smartphones, apps, and digital technology. They’re convenient, engineered by the best and brightest to keep our attention and accompany us everywhere.
Still, amidst all the pings and dings and notifications, we can choose ways to prioritize our peace of mind.
By making some simple changes to how we use technology, we can feel more present and peaceful—and be more productive.
In our last blog, we talked about five main ways technology negatively impacts our mental health.
In this one, we’re going to share a big list to give ideas of things you can do to improve it.
Multitasking and business models are working against you
Before we get to that list, it’s helpful to remember two things in our quest for smarter tech use:
Multitasking is a myth.
Tech companies make money from our attention.
At the risk of oversimplifying, here are a couple of things worth noting on both fronts:
Multitasking describes something computers were made to do. Turns out, humans aren’t so good at it.
The term “multitasking” was coined in the 1960s to describe a computer chip’s ability to do multiple things at once. As the term became a common way to describe someone juggling more than one task, people started studying it and its effects on us.
Long story short, the research consistently shows that these quick changes back and forth between tasks make us feel productive but actually slow down getting things done and increase the number of errors we make. Not good.
Worse, Tech companies usually build their devices to encourage us to multitask. Many of them also are financially incentivized to gobble up as much of our attention as they can. The more we use these platforms and tools, the more money than can make. So you better believe they are engineering their apps and devices to keep you hooked.
Entire books have been written on both of these topics, and the goal here isn’t to explore these things in depth.
But remembering these things will give context to the list below. And it will also help you be kind to yourself, because changing how we use technology isn’t easy. Our devices’ pull on our focus and attention are quite real indeed.
Things you can do multitask less, get more done, and feel more peaceful and connected
Feeling more present and productive during the day can be as simple as changing a few small things in how we interact with technology.
Granted, it can be easier said than done. But it’s worth the effort.
As you read the list below, pick a couple (or more) things to do from the list to improve your peace of mind, focus, and mental health.
Better, More Restful Sleep
Getting good sleep is a simple, yet powerful, the thing you can do to have brighter days.
Turning off the TV and getting off your phone 1-2 hours before bedtime will make a world of difference in getting a good night’s rest.
Buy some blue light glasses and wear them at night. Note that light bulbs emit blue light, too, so even when you aren’t on a device, the glasses will help ready your body for sleep.
Make your bedroom a cell phone-free zone. Use your phone in other rooms so your mind and body associate your bedroom with sleep.
While you’re at it, kick your TV out of your room, too.
Get an actual alarm clock. Or, focus on creating an alarm-clock-free sleep routine.
Less Stress & More Focus – Phone Use
Our phones can keep us feeling frantic and busier than we actually are. But they don’t have to.
Turn off notifications on your phone. All of them. Seriously. (Most notifications might be better called interruptions, and interruptions tank focus and increase stress.)
Set your phone to silent most of the time.
If you really need to focus on something, make sure your phone is in another room. Hard work is well, hard, and having your phone within reach can provide an easy distraction.
Here’s a harder one: don’t keep your phone close by all the time. Pick a drawer or other spot in a common area of your house and keep it there when you’re not using it.
Take a weekly digital detox for 24 hours. By the afternoon, you will be feeling much calmer, rested, and present.
Consider taking periodic weekly or monthly social media breaks.
Take social media off your phone entirely and only use the desktop versions.
Less Stress & More Focus – Email
Email can run us ragged. Here are a few easy things to do to stay more focused and productive.
Set times on your schedule to check and process emails. Having a few set times each day will limit the urge to check your inbox and will increase your focus.
Remove the email apps from your phone to better safeguard yourself from obsessively checking it.
Turn off the preview line in your inbox. That way, you can limit information overload and distraction by only seeing the sender and the subject line.
Turn off email notifications on your phone and computer. Not being distracted by something the instant it comes in will boost your productivity and presence of mind.
Go on an unsubscribe binge. Most of our inboxes are horribly bloated. Curate your inbox by taking the next week or two to unsubscribe from email lists that no longer serve you.
Deeper Connection with Yourself and Others
When we prioritize richer ways to connect, our lives get richer.
Be as personable as possible. While it’s convenient to scroll social media or chat over text, talking in person or over the phone does wonders for how connected with others we actually feel.
Determine to be focused on the person in front of you. Turn your phone off in meetings or when spending time with friends.
Take walks around your neighborhood without your phone on you. Bring a loved one with you or simply stroll by yourself and enjoy.
Strike up conversations with your neighbors. The more we know the people in proximity to us, the more grounded we are prone to feel.
Keep meaningful reading material in places you spend time in around the house. If you do, you’ll be more likely to pick up the book or magazine than scroll your phone.
Enjoy silence. We’ve forgotten how to be silent with ourselves and instead tend to fill every moment with content. In the process, we’ve lost touch with our own wisdom and intuition.
Prioritize tech-free leisure. Walks, sports, hands-on hobbies, reading, volunteering. All of these things tend to be more satisfying than scrolling.
Navigating our digital world will always be a journey. It will be one we’ll never do perfectly.
By being more mindful of how we use technology, however, we can give a big boost to our mental health. With better sleep, more focus, less stress, and better relationships, little changes like these will go a long way.
Written by: Cindy Picht
