Tag: Answer Addiction

Why Positive Digital Habits for Kids Starts with Mindful Parenting

When you ask your teen to put their phone away at the dinner table, how do they react? Negatively? And how about younger kids? Are tantrums often involved when they’re told their tablet time is up?

If you’re concerned about how much time your children spend on screens, or are worried about how dependent they could become on their devices as they grow older, it’s time to do something about it. Rather than just asking your kids to follow healthier habits with their screens, you need to show them that you, too, take digital detox seriously. Expecting your children to log off but maintaining your negative screen habits is a paradox and something kids will cotton onto immediately. Instead, we believe that positive digital habits for children start with mindful parenting and leading by example.

Mindful Parenting and The Age of Imitation

At around one years of age, children begin to imitate what they see – an important step towards independence. In an article for Parents Magazine, Dr. Kessler, director of developmental and behavioural pediatrics at the Children’s Health Centre of St. Joseph’s Hospital, in Phoenix, offers, “as they copy the deeds of adults, toddlers realize, Wow! I can do this! Aren’t I great? I’ll try it again.” This means that parents of toddlers are under constant observation and have the opportunity to shape positive lifestyle habits. Make an effort to avoid using your smartphone around your toddler and younger kids when it’s not necessary.

Mindful Parenting and The Turbulent Teenage Years

Of course, it’s always easier to implement healthy habits and values from a young age, but this is not always possible and new challenges can arise during the turbulence of teenagehood. Recently, research around the need to address teen tech time and the impact screen overuse can have on mental health has been growing. For example, in a survey commissioned by Digital Awareness UK,  52% of school-age students have said that social media made them feel less confident about how interesting their life was and how attractive they felt. The virtual world also promotes a continuation of playground bullying, where bullies can act more anonymously, hiding behind their screens. According to the i-SAFE foundation, 1 in 3 have experienced cyberthreats online, but over half of young people surveyed do not tell their parents when such cyberbullying occurs.

These statistics are just a few examples of many that highlight the need to showcase positive digital habits to our teens. Today’s digital culture is eroding our ability to just ‘be’. To let our minds wander and to face difficult emotions. Instead, we have learnt to equate moments of quiet with boredom that must be filled. We push down the thoughts and difficult conversations and turn to our digital devices for distraction.

In MIT researcher Sherry Turkle’s book,  Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, she confirms that, “If we don’t have experience with solitude – and this is often the case today – we start to equate loneliness and solitude. This reflects the impoverishment of our experience. If we don’t know the satisfactions of solitude, we only know the panic of loneliness.” In this sense, during the teenage years, it’s important that we use mindful parenting to in turn model a mindful relationship with technology. Create limits on tech time, especially during important family bonding and conversation moments, such as the dinner table. Treat teenagers with integrity and explain to them how technology can affect us. Be a role model when it comes to engaging in tech-free, creative and outdoors or exercise driven activities.

Not just in looks, children are the product of their parents in personality and habits. By leading by example and being mindful of our own tech time, we have the opportunity to share with our children how to enjoy the incredible benefits of the online world, without screentime become damaging to their wellbeing and development.

View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

5 Useful Practices for Mindful Social Media Use

2018 marks the very first Scroll Free September campaign which encourages participants to take a digital detox or hiatus from all personal social media accounts during the 30-day calendar month. In light of increasing research around how social media overuse can impact our well-being and especially that of our children, the campaign aims to promote better balance with our social media feeds, or rather, the amount of time we spend scrolling through them. If you’re fed up of being caught in a constant cycle of scrolling, we encourage you to adopt these practices for mindful social media use and challenge you to sustain them long after Scroll Free September is over.

1. Allow Yourself To Be Bored

We often get trapped in the social media scroll-cycle when we’re bored, waiting for something, or even trying to deflect awkwardness. If grabbing your phone in these situations is the first thing you do, practice being present instead. Take in your surroundings, people watch and put your phone away. Breaking the link between free moments and unconscious social scrolling will make you mindful about just how much you rely on your phone in everyday situations.

2. Use Social Media with Intention

That’s obvious, right? As we mentioned above, a lot of our social media scrolling and feed checking is a subconscious action. So, try to make yourself aware when you are reaching for your phone to check social media and you’re not reacting to a notification. Ask yourself, what are my intentions? What do I want to find out? Unless you have a clear answer to these questions, avoid opening your social apps.

3. Set Scroll Free Special Occasions

While most of us enjoy a good selfie at a party or when celebrating something special, try to keep your phone in your bag or pocket when with company. Give your friends or loved ones your full attention and it will feel more intentional when you do reach for your phone. Struggling to keep your phone away? You could even try phone-stacking. This mindful practice includes you and all of your friends putting your phones in the middle of the table and agreeing that the person who picks up theirs first has to get the next round. We’d say it will keep not scrolling at the forefront of your mind!

4. Be Non-Judgemental To Yourself and Others

Social media has created a comparison culture. In fact, according to a survey by disability charity Scope, half of 18 to 34 year olds say that social media makes them feel inadequate. Becoming more mindful around your social media use is about recognising when scrolling is making you feel negatively about yourself. But it’s not only this, it’s about trying to actively be non-judgemental to others posting online. After all, the only person who will feel negative about these negative thoughts towards others is yourself.

5. Clean Up and Curate Your Feed

Make your feeds less distracting by filtering out clickbait accounts you may follow and old acquaintances who overshare. Curate your feed into people you care about and accounts that inspire you. This will ensure that time you do spend on social media is more rewarding, rather than a continuous search for that interesting or meaningful update.

Try these mindful social media practices to make the most out of your feeds, whether that’s by finding inspiration or staying connected with friends. Let’s put a stop to mindless scrolling and wasted time online!

View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

#ScrollFreeSeptember – here’s how to join in

This month, the Royal Society for Public Health have launched Scroll Free September, an ambitious UK campaign to get as many people as possible off social media for a month. The initiative is right up our street, and as such we are one of the supporters.

Going ‘scroll free’ for a month will give you a chance to reflect on what makes you feel good and bad, and how to improve your relationship with social media. As we have said before, there are now many studies out there that highlight the issues overuse of social media can cause; not least RSPH’s own report, #StatusofMind. And it’s hardly surprising that social media is having a negative effect when 7 in 10 young people have experienced cyber bullying and 1 in 5 young people wake in the night to check messages on social media. So there are many reasons why you should get involved in the initiative, and it might be less painful than you think.

But if the thought of no social media for a whole months gives you a fright, then don’t panic! Many people might be thinking that is just too much of a challenge, but RSPH have proposed five different ways that you can get involved. So whether you’re a tech detox pro, or just want to moderate your usage pro, you can take part.

Cold Turkey

This is the ultimate of social media detoxing; giving up all personal social media accounts for 30 days. There’s no doubt that this will be a challenge – no more mindless scrolling whilst on the bus or train; no more celebrity stalking and no more Twitter arguments. But there are many famous faces that have gone Scroll Free, and there’s nothing to say you can’t do so too. From Simon Cowell to Jennifer Lawrence, many are embracing the cold turkey approach after realising the positive impact it can have on their well-being. As Cowell has said after going without his phone for ten months; “It has been so good for my mental health and has absolutely made me happier.’”

Social Butterfly

For those that cannot bear the thought of coming off social media completely, the ‘social butterfly’ is a potential option. Rather than having a constant detox, just take a break from social media when at a social event. Whether this is dinner with family, or out with friends – social media should be an afterthought. If you can’t stop picking up your phone when you’re meant to be socialising, then it’s the first sign that you could be one of the many unwittingly addicted to social media, and participating in Scroll Free September through the “social butterfly” could be a great option.

Night Owl

For those who get home from work or school, and spend the majority of the evening on social media, then the ‘night owl’ may be a necessary way to tackle the issue at hand. FOMO has been linked as a driver of social media addiction, and with the evening time the most likely for FOMO to come to the surface, its a great time to just focus on the here and now and break from social media completely. So post 6pm log out of those apps and stay that way!

Busy Bee

There’s no doubting that social media can affect productivity, particularly at school or in the work place. You might call it the perfect weapon of procrastination. So if you find yourself flicking onto Facebook in the workplace, or using Snapchat at school, it could be that the ‘busy bee’ is something to consider.

Sleeping Dog

The importance of sleep for our physical and mental well-being is no secret, and the rise of social media addiction in the last few years has had a massive effect on many people’s sleeping patterns. So if you’re going through this list, thinking each one might be difficult, then you may well be able to get on board with the ‘sleeping dog’.  Give up going on social media when you’re in bed and it could have a huge impact on your sleep, and your mental well-being.

 

For more tips and tricks to keep the whole family happy off screens, our new book Stop Staring at Screens is out in the UK on 6th September and the US on the 6th November. Pick up a copy here.

View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

Is it time for a dumb phone?

It’s true that smartphones have made our lives easier in so many ways, yet the technology on these devices is dominating our lives. Most people tap their smartphones on average 2,617 times a day.

But many of us want to switch off from the constant pinging of notifications and the temptation to scroll social media, and there’s a way to make this change – by buying a dumb phone. This basic push-button mobile can make and receive calls, offers texting but it has no apps and no internet access or camera.

New figures show that these dumb phones are becoming increasingly popular. Last year, the growth in demand for dumb phones was 5 per cent compared to a demand of only 2 per cent for smart phones.

Here are four very different approaches to using a dumb phone, choose the level that works best for your lifestyle now. All of the suggestions will help you to create a better tech-life balance, which is what we’re all about here At Time To Log Off.

# Level 1: The free time dumb phone

Many of us need our phones for work, so during the week use your smart phone but at the weekends (or your days off) switch to a dumb phone with a separate SIM card. This way you won’t be tempted to check your work emails or answer work calls during your free time. Free time is just that, time away to disconnect from work. In fact, free time matters so much that from 1st January 2017, French workers were given the right to disconnect from technology outside of employment hours.

# Level 2: The evening dumb phone

Do you have a boss who emails you outside of work and expects a response? This is a problem for many people and research shows that 40 per cent of us regularly feel the need to check our work emails in the evening, which can have a negative impact on our relationships. Or perhaps you have a demanding family member or friend who emails you late at night? Do you want to be free of feeling like you have to respond?

If this is you, when you leave the workplace, and/or on an evening, switch to a dumb phone so that you’re still contactable in an emergency but can’t pick up any emails. Don’t forget that you can screen your calls with voice mail, and you can ignore texts, if it’s not urgent don’t respond.

# Level 3: The working week dumb phone

Around 28 per cent of the working week is spent managing emails and it’s a huge cause of stress for so many people. If possible, why not switch to a dumb phone during your entire working week? This way you can create just one hub on your work computer for checking work-related emails. You won’t waste time having to check, delete and manage messages that you’ve already seen on your smart phone.

# Level 4: The dumb phone convert

The average person spends 24 hours a week on the internet, which is double the amount of time a decade ago. Why not free up your time for other things like exercise, reading, talking face-to-face with friends and switch to a dumb phone permanently? Imagine, no more hours wasted scrolling on social media or replying to annoying group What’s App conversations. Less screen time will improve your sleeping patterns, reduce anxiety and you will feel happier – it’s a fact.

Not sure if you need to change your screen habits? Why not try our quiz: Do I need a digital detox?

View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

Checking work email isn’t just bad for you – it’s bad for your partner too.

When I was living in Amsterdam with my ex-boyfriend, we took a train out of the city for a day trip to Harrlem. My boyfriend had a big, busy job and we hadn’t seen much of each other because of it. A day away together was meant to go some way to remedying that.

Yet as we set off on the train, I noticed that once again he was on his phone, lost to work emails, removed from the moment we were in. I was fuming. And I felt powerless. In my frustration, when we arrived I leapt off the train, ran ahead, slipped into the crowd, and stood and watched as my boyfriend walked across the platform and through the station. I wanted to see if he even realised if I was there or not, so invisible I felt compared to his phone. But so busy had he been looking at his phone, that for a good few minutes he didn’t notice that I was gone. It was totally demoralising.

A new study has found I wasn’t alone in feeling stressed and fed up at my partner’s constant email checking. A survey of 31-40 year olds, carried out by researchers at Virginia Tech, reaffirmed not only what we already know – the more time you spend on your phone, out of office hours, never truly switching off – the greater levels of anxiety and stress you feel, but the study also involved the partners of workaholics. The research discovered that even if an individual thinks they are happy with checking work email night and day, it can have a damaging impact on their spouse. Those with the greatest email habits had the unhappiest partners; the stress spreading from their lives into the lives of their loved ones. William Becker, who studies workforce emotion and led the study, said in his paper on the research: “If we drop what we’re doing with our families to check our phones it sends out a message that they’re not as important. If we don’t address this, it will only get worse and people will start to burn out, leave organisations, and have a lot more relationship problems”.

Needless to say, it didn’t last with my ex. But it had a big impact on my future relationships. I’ve stayed clear of workaholics, of people who can’t switch off. I’m attracted to people who can find and maintain a balance in their life (My current boyfriend isn’t on any social media and has a ton of outdoor hobbies). The irony now, however, is that I’m the one who can’t switch off.

The study’s results are interesting because we talk a lot about how tech impacts our own lives, but not so much those around us. Becker has several suggestions for how to be happier at home, such as cut off times for screen usage or mindfulness for engaging in the moment. But a good place to start is simply awareness: your phone addiction isn’t just bad for you, it could be bad for the people you care most about.

View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

Some Surprising Dangers of Technology Addiction

Technology addiction can come in many forms; from over-reliance on smartphones, to not being able prise yourself away from video games. We have regularly written about some of the ways that we can try and limit our time on devices; whether that’s tips for digital detoxing when travelling, or how to unplug from your inbox. But why are we so keen for people to be self-aware about the issues? There are many potential dangers of tech over use and technology addiction, some more surprising than others.

Technology addiction is causing growing concern in mental health circles, with suggestions of links to anxiety and depression. Arguably the worst culprit is social media addiction, with young people particularly vulnerable.

Since the launch of MySpace in 2003 followed by Facebook a year later, the total user base of social media has grown exponentially. According to Statista, in 2017 there were 2.46 billion social media users worldwide. Social media is now a central part of many people’s everyday lives, whether that’s catching up with friends on Facebook, or keeping an eye on celebrity lifestyles on Instagram. The effect that social media addiction might be having on mental health is no longer a secret, with more and more press, public figures, and health bodies coming out and voicing their concerns.

Potentially a consequence and a cause of this is the fact that there is an ever-growing body of evidence that suggests a link between social media usage and poor mental health. A quick scroll through our facts page shows numerous examples:

• Almost half of 18-34 year olds said their social media feeds made them feel unattractive.
• A study by the National Institute of Mental Health has found a strong and significant association between social media use and depression.
• A study has shown that as mobile phone use increases, so does anxiety.

Social media addiction is a very real danger, with children particularly vulnerable. If you have any concerns about your child’s technology use, then we have useful tips on our blog.

Whereas poor mental health may be a well-publicised side effect of technology addiction, it is certainly not the only issue – and one that may be slightly surprising is that social media overuse can potentially make us more susceptible to burglaries.

According to the Independent, a recent study of 2,000 social media users found that 22% share information online that they are on holiday and away from home, while a further 33% said that they had posted a holiday picture whilst away. One in 20 even revealed exactly how long they are away for. This might seem innocent enough, but when privacy settings haven’t been checked, and social media accounts are left public – problems can arise. Even a former burglar recommended not freely posting schedules online.

So burglary is a somewhat surprising danger of social media overuse and addiction, but one that could have serious consequences.

Using devices whilst driving is likely to cause major issues when it comes to road safety. Mobile phone driving laws were first enacted in the UK in 2003, and by 2017 the penalty if caught using a phone whilst driving in the UK was 6 points and a £200 fine. But this still didn’t appear stop some people using their phones whilst driving.

Back in 2016, the Mirror reported that one in eight traffic accidents were down to smartphone use. In Ofcom’s latest report on digital dependency, it was found that the average Briton checks their phone every 12 minutes and spends nearly three and a half hours a day looking at a mobile device. If users can’t unplug themselves from their phones for more than 12 minutes whilst driving, this could have serious consequences on the road. Indeed in 2016 32 people were killed and 105 seriously injured in crashes involving a driver being distracted by their mobile phone. As smartphone addiction increases, we are probably likely to see the number of traffic accidents increase.

There are a number of other potential dangers of technology addiction, often related to excess screen time. For example, artificial blue light emitting from screens increases alertness and suppresses the hormone melatonin, which negatively impacts sleep. Apparently 47% of UK adults miss out on sleep due to internet usage. And a US survey found that more than 73% of young adults suffer from symptoms of digital eye strain from screen overuse. As well as this, some research has found a link between internet addiction and changes to the brain involving emotional processing and decision making.

Overall, the potential dangers of overuse of technology are well documented. They cover a range of issues – from mental health, to increasing the chance of burglaries. By being more aware of your own technology use, you can ensure that any risks of dangers are limited.

View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

5 Must-Read Tips for Mindful Travel

Booked a holiday recently? Can’t wait to put your ‘out of office’ on and visit somewhere new?

We talk frequently about the importance of ditching digital distractions and the pressure of our always-on culture at home. Now, it’s time to get serious about the practice of being present when we’re travelling.

Read on to discover our list of mindful travel tips to help you switch-off and make the most of your trip.

1. Slow Down

Annual leave is precious. If we’re on a city break, we’ll peruse Tripadvisor to find the must-visit sites in that place. Then, we’ll pack them into our few-day stint in the city. We race from place to place, ticking off each attraction as a story ready to relay back home. It’s exhausting. One of the first mindful travel tips is to slow down and enjoy each and every activity.

This goes for food too. Instead of seeing lunch as an inevitable fuel-up before an afternoon of more sites and queues, enjoy the tastes and scents of the local dishes. After all, food is as big a part of a nation’s culture as the history and language.

2. Take Meaningful Photos

The permanence of the film camera has been replaced by almost limitless digital photography. We take photos of everything. We don’t need to carefully choose where and when to use our scared shots, we just point and shoot. Some of us are probably guilty of spending just as much time, or even more, taking photos of somewhere as we are enjoying it through our own eyes. And many of us probably never do anything with the hundreds of photos taken.

Limit the number of digital photos you take and try a film or instant camera. You’ll become more in touch with what you’re photographing and spend more time just enjoying the view.

3. Don’t Over-Rely On Your Phone

In an interview with Afar, Sara Clemence, author of Away & Aware: A Field Guide to Mindful Travel, said, “Doing stuff on your phone can be really efficient. You can figure out how to get from place A to place B quickly or find a restaurant. But “most efficient” doesn’t always mean “best.” If you don’t use your phone to figure out public transportation, it will take longer. But this is a vacation, not a commute. Who cares?”

Part of getting to know a place is doing as the locals do. It’s puzzling over the transport system, asking for directions and enjoying the journey. While useful and now more accessible than ever after roaming charges were abolished in the EU, smartphones can also be a barrier to interacting with locals on our trips. We move around cities like independent entities, shielded by the comfort of Google at our fingertips. There’s no need to interact with the culture around us, or even get to know street names and memorise routes. To be more mindful of where you are going and what’s around you, try using a paper map before turning instinctively to your phone.

4. Switch Off From Social Media and Email

In the same interview, Sara Clemence added, “We spend half of our vacations figuring out how we’re going to portray our vacation.” Rather than taking in the present moment, many of us are often guilty of thinking ahead to what photos we’ll share online and the witty captions that will accompany them. Switch off from social media and stop thinking about what people will think of your holiday. Instead, ask yourself, what do you think of your trip? It’s ok to not to have had an Instagram-worthy day.

In the same sense, checking what’s going on back home on social media, replying to messages and keeping in touch with work creates a barrier to enjoying the here and now. 60% of people say a traditional holiday doesn’t relieve their stress because they don’t fully disconnect from their job. You’ve worked hard to book a holiday away from the norm, so why not allow yourself to completely switch off from it?

5. Make Time To Observe and People Watch

Most attractions are topping Tripadvisor for a reason – they’re probably oozing culture, history and/or heavy sponsorship. They are worth visiting, appreciating and remembering. But, when it comes to mindful travel, the places you are supposed to tick off your must-see list are only part of the story. One of the most important tips for mindful travel is leaving time in your itinerary to get a sense of local life. Walk away from the main sites, sit in local cafes and just observe normal people going about their normal business. If a place is packed with locals, ask the waiter what the most popular dish or drink is, preferably in the local lingo; even if you can only string a sentence or two together!

Mindful travel is similar to deep travel, it’s about getting to know the world and its people, not just ‘seeing’ the sites and ticking a destination off your list. Sound good? On your next break, why not put down your phone and give mindful travel a try?

View the original article at itstimetologoff.com

Digital Detox in the News

Any long term followers of Time to Log Off will know that we have been banging the proverbial digital detox drum for a while now. From as far back as 2014 we set out to firstly investigate what a healthy use of screens looks like, and then help others discover the joy that can come with regular breaks from our digitally connected world.

With this in mind, to see the national press becoming more and more aware of the potential issues overuse of technology can cause, feels like a great win. In the last year, and particularly in the last few months, we have seen more and more articles that cover a range of related topics, whether that’s highlighting the dangers of social media for our children, or how smartphone addiction can have deadly consequences. Ofcom’s latest report on digital dependency has also prompted people to start talking. So let’s round up digital detox in the news.

Last Monday, founder Tanya Goodin featured in a Metro piece that highlighted recent research that found a link between emotional maturity and social media usage. One of Britain’s leading brain scientists Baroness Susan Greenfield, has raised concerns that children are losing the ability to think for themselves, empathise with others and communicate effectively. She argues that children are opting for the instant gratification that social media provides, something that they begin to rely on, and in turn has an effect on a child’s own “inner narrative”.

As Tanya says in the article, “the digital world fills any impulse children may have to occupy or entertain themselves by providing non-stop 24/7 entertainment, with 1% of UK under fives having their own smartphone their digital reliance is coming earlier and earlier.”

Greenfield’s comments were also covered in The Independent, who amongst other things, referenced the letter that US child welfare experts wrote to Mark Zuckerberg, urging the Facebook founder to remove their messaging app aimed specifically at children.

Clearly, the dangers of too much social media are now on a lot of agendas, something highlighted by extended coverage in the BBC. The long read focuses on the Scroll Free September campaign – something we are right behind. #ScrollFreeSeptember is all about getting off social media for a month to establish a healthier way of using it, whether that’s by going completely cold turkey or by logging-off after 6pm and trying out how each approach feels.

Encouragingly, the BBC has used the RSPH initiative to highlight real life stories in their report. One teenager explains how she feels like a “slave to her phone”, another expresses how she is starting Sixth Form in September and wants to keep social media usage separate. The self awareness of this generation is certainly encouraging. Perhaps the most high profile case recently has been Russell Kane, who has admitted he is receiving counselling to help him with an internet addiction that is “affecting his life” and left him “no longer in control.”

Social media addiction may be seeing the most news coverage at the moment, but that’s not to say other forms of digital addiction are falling by the wayside. One rather startling effect of smartphone addiction was covered in iNews this week – that it can potentially cause car accidents. In the article, road safety charity Brake reference Ofcom’s new findings, that “the average Briton checks their phone every 12 minutes and spends nearly three and a half hours a day looking at a mobile device.” These stats suggests that distraction at the wheel is very probable ndeed and the effects can be deadly. According to Brake, in 2016, 32 people were killed and 105 seriously injured in crashes involving a driver being distracted by their mobile phone, and Ofcom’s recent stats suggest this amount could increase.

In the Times, one brave journalist gave up his smartphone for a week in favour of a stripped back Nokia which only has 2G. He experienced the type of issues you might expect  – having to print off a map rather than relying on Google Maps, no more Uber, or online banking. However, he also recognised the mental upside to taking some time away from constance smartphone usage.

Elsewhere, Mashable covered Facebook and Google’s leap to try and solve phone addiction themselves, in the Evening Standard there was a print write up which did the same with a more positive view, and the Telegraph explained the link found between video game addiction and depression. So much coverage in the press around the potential dangers of digital addiction can only be a good thing, and we hope it will trigger more public awareness that will help to address the issues of phone dependency and screen overuse before we all discover they are getting worse.

View the original article at itstimetologoff.com