Digital Wellness Day

Welcome to Tech Talk!  Today we’re going to wrap up our social media series for this year with an important subject, Digital Wellness. But don’t worry, with new online platforms popping up, we will continue updating our social media series in the near future, so stay tuned!

But, back to why we are here today, Digital Wellness.  Did you know that May 5th, 2023 is Digital Wellness Day?  Digital Wellness Day is a day to think about our technology use and find ways to do, what the Digital Wellness Institute refers to as Digital Flourishing, or creating a healthy tech-life balance.

There are eight domains of digital wellness, and I would like to take a few minutes to share these domains and provide a resource for further information.

1. Digital Citizenship - This refers to how and what we share online. Understanding how to share responsibly, how much we choose to consume, and how to protect our privacy and security online are helpful tools to flourish online.
2. Productivity - How do we balance our time online? Are we using technology to increase our productivity and focus?
3. Environment - This is how we organize and improve our digital workspace. Things like organizing our computer desktops, utilizing ergonomic accessories, and blue light filters can bring calmness to your time online.
4. Communication - How do we communicate with others online? Do we create a tech-life balance (for example, not answering work emails after a certain hour - I know I need to work on that one!)?  
5. Relationships - Relationships are important! They provide us with support, connection, and community. Online relationships can be fulfilling, but it is important to balance that with your in-person relationships as well!
6. Mental Health - It is easy to get sucked into the endless content online. It’s okay to take breaks. Make your online time meaningful. Enjoy taking offline time to do things that bring you joy.
7. Physical Health - This is an area I personally struggle with. I find that if I don’t take breaks and move around, by the end of the day, it affects my eyes, my body, and my sleep.  
8. Tech-Enabled Health - A way to help with physical health is to use tech that pushes or motivates you to get up and move. For me, my watch is a great accessory. It reminds me to stand up and move every hour and tracks my exercise and sleep patterns.  

So, on Friday, take a few minutes and reflect on your tech-life balance. Use these domains to help you decide how well you are doing, and if there are places you can benefit from this Digital Flourishing Model. Even better, do it as a family!   

Want more information about the Digital Wellness Institute, the Digital Flourishing Model, or Digital Wellness Day? You can check out our source material at DigitalWellnessDay.com! There are free resources available including child and parent focused resources.

If you have questions or would like more information or resources about any of the information discussed today, you can contact me at rcannon@isd271.org. 

Thank you for watching, and see you next week!

Source:  https://www.digitalwellnessday.com/