Often, the first step toward achieving healthy technology use is understanding how and when you primary use technology.
How to become more aware of your own habits of using the Internet
Raising our self-awareness of our habits of using digital media is the first and most important step to improving our relationships with technology.
Each of us has our own opinion and habits towards the use of technology, so it is important that we use technology in a way that suits our lifestyle and our own time.
A good way to enhance our self-awareness is to take the time to think about answers to these simple questions:
- How do you spend your time on the Internet?
- What feeling does that give you?
- Does it add value to your life?
- What would you like to change in your interaction with online digital media?
Monitor the level of stress you are exposed to when using digital technology.
What happens when you stop using it for a while? Does using this app or tool help you achieve the goal you wanted?
How do you define your goal for using technology?
Too often, we find ourselves so engrossed in our use of technology that we don't get an objective sense of what we're doing.
So it might be helpful to ask a friend what they think of how you use technology.
It is also important to be mindful of your interests, not to be hard on yourself and not to judge yourself, but rather to estimate how far you have come towards achieving your goal and to continue on the same path.
When we want to make a change, it is very important to start the change with a clear vision.
- What role do I want technology to play in my life?
- Are there certain parts of my life where I don't want to use devices?
- Are there certain aspects of technology that frustrate me?
Before you grab a device, ask yourself:
- What is my intention?
- What do I want to achieve?
We don't usually appreciate how much time we spend on technology, because we spend so much of our day looking at our devices quickly, habitually or largely unconsciously.
What are the benefits of tracking your use of technology?
By monitoring our use of technology, we get a more complete picture of our day and how we spend our time on these devices. There are a lot of tools that enable you to do this.
Including Google's App Control Panel, which tells you how much time you spend using each app you have.
There are also other great tools you can use to track your internet usage habits, such as Siempo, Space App, and RescueTime.
By setting a clear goal and vision, you will begin to understand your digital business better, which will motivate you every step of the way towards achieving your goal.
As we become more aware of how we use technology and make some simple changes accordingly, we can take advantage of the benefits that technology offers us, while at the same time reducing the challenges of being constantly connected to our digital devices.
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