The talk on digital wellbeing has spread like a forest fire. It’s only a matter of time before the Oxford dictionary includes it in its list of words.
However, in common parlance, the understanding of digital wellbeing is limited to reduction in overall screen time. Last week, I came across one of my friends who was very excited about a new pair of blue light blocking glasses that he had order glasses online. He further went on to explain how his digital wellbeing was now sorted. It is not his fault at all as there is very little knowledge out there in the public domain about this all-important topic. We are here to fill up this knowledge gap.
Table of Contents
Dimensions of Digital Wellbeing and how you should take care of it?
Physical Health
Your body is your temple – you need to worship it. The long hours spent on a desk and chair on a regular basis, with the eyes fixed on a digital screen can take a toll on your posture and your eye health. Therefore, it is for you to ensure that it’s in a good state.
For your posture, you should make a shift to the right pair of desk and chair. One that keeps your back straight and doesn’t require you to bend over. For your eye health, you need to go beyond your much loved designer prescription glasses and adopt glasses that block blue light. No need to worry. We are only advising you to do so whenever you are facing a digital screen.
Online Safety
This is a real serious concern in the present era, especially when digital literacy has still not reached a desired level. Your digital devices are vulnerable to attacks of virus, worms, malwares, etc. There is a drastic increase in online harassment cases being reported from all around the globe. A whole industry is thriving on this. Law enforcement agencies are doing their bit, You need to do yours.
First and foremost, your devices need to be equipped with an upgraded anti-virus software. Then, you also have to stay cautious with your surfing activity. Visit only trusted websites and avoid suspicious pop-ups. The settings of your anti-virus will help you out with this.
Positive Use of Technology
Technology is a double-edged sword. It has its pros and cons, given what you do with it. There are two aspects here. These are quantity (time spent) and quality of the content consumed.
Here, we can talk of screen time. The infinite scroll of social media has made it an addiction for many. Many times, we lose track of time while going through our feed. There is a solution to this too. Certain apps and settings of your device allow you to monitor your activity. You can also set a limit to all your activities and leave it to your device to guide you. And yes, remember to use glasses that block blue light. There are a plethora of options available online.
You might be doing your bit towards your overall well being. Be it hitting the gym regularly, eating a nutritious diet, practising your yoga and meditation sessions or whatever that helps you stay healthy. It is just that now you need to include your digital wellbeing in it.