Once upon a time, a high school student tells a group of peers and adults that she has deleted all her social media accounts for an unspecified period of time.
The reason? She’s spending too much time on social media and comparing herself to her peers online.
Everyone nods in agreement, relating to the reasons she listed for her decision.
‘What do you do instead?!’ one peer asks, ludicrously.
We all laugh.
Note: I wrote this back in 2018 when I deleted my LinkedIn account. I wasn’t on any social media then, but I’ve been back on Instagram since September 2020.
What do you do when an online platform intended for professional networking and growing your career turns into a nuisance to your everyday life?
You need to cut it.
Continue reading “Why I deleted my LinkedIn account”
Texting culture has burdened us with the expectation to be reachable and responsive 24/7. What is such expectation costing us?
Although I didn’t feel entirely alone in suffering from texting induced anxiety, I didn’t think the problem was relevant enough to grant clinical terms, such as textiety and textaphrenia.
Text messaging is an essential part of communication, providing a quick and convenient method to stay connected with our family, friends, and acquaintances. But, despite being a useful mode of communication, the expectation to be reachable and responsive 24/7, literally, can be very stressful and overwhelming for many.
Textiety refers to the anxious feeling one gets from not receiving or sending text messages.
Mental health professionals are reporting anxiety around texting show up in their practice, and it is now part of a new area of research and treatment related to mobile devices and online communication.
Continue reading “Is texting culture giving us anxiety?”
This is a guest post by Matt Jennings from mattjennings.uk.
As a digital minimalist, is it possible to ‘do social media’ without the constant connectivity that apps like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and others enable? In this post, Matt is going to put forward the case that you can.
Continue reading “A digital minimalist’s approach to social media management”
This short piece was inspired by a moment of clarity I had while sippin’ on my favourite drink from Starbucks and musing over this article before heading to work. Back in 2019.
It’s part critical self-awareness, and part caffeine-induced 6:00AM rant.
A brief summary of the book, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport, including what I found the most useful, and my own journey towards digital minimalism.
Once upon a time, a fan accused Rihanna of being insensitive for a meme she shared on her Instagram. Rihanna responded with, “laugh or log off.”
Discovering this gem reminded me of another favourite from Tyler, The Creator.
He tweeted,
“Hahahahahahahaha How The F**k Is Cyber Bullying Real Hahahaha N***a Just Walk Away From The Screen Like N***a Close Your Eyes Haha.”
Without minimizing the issue of cyberbullying, Tyler, The Creator had a point that completely changed the way I viewed my relationship with social media and the Internet in general.
Nobody is forcing me to engage in online activities that create negative emotions and experiences. So, why am I doing it?
This question led me to quit social media for three years, and the news since 2016. A choice that has worked out really well for me.
Another mantra for having a good ol’ time online? Laugh, or log off.
It can be very empowering to engage with the digital space in a lighthearted way.
There is no denying the negativity that exists online. There’s also so much positivity. It is up to us to choose carefully the content we consume online.
Inspired by Taylor, The Creator and Rihanna’s comments, I have significantly minimized consuming content that evokes negative emotions or reactions. When I come across such content, I simply scroll past or close the tab. If it’s not bringing me positive feels, I log off.
I also have been actively searching for positive content online.
That’s how I discovered the subreddit /r/wholesomememes, a community for those searching for a way to capture virtue on the Internet. Yes, good things happen on Reddit, too.
Choose wisely.
Until next time. . .
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A story about using the digital world as a tool to enrich our lives, not diminish it.
Naturally, I was against online dating for a very, very, very long time. Then, I joined Tinder, met my now-husband on the app, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Speaking of history…
Online dating is almost as old as the Internet itself.
The first online dating website, kiss.com, was established in 1994. Only a year after the Internet went public. Match.com, a dating website many of you might be familiar with, has been around since 1995.
Continue reading “Online dating for those who hate online dating”
There is a prevailing idea in the digital wellness realm that seems the most convincing— quit the digital world all together.
And my most recent favourite, Donald Knuth, a famous computer scientist who “have been a happy man ever since January 1, 1990, when I no longer had an email address.” What a luxury!
Yet, such drastic measures for life-tech balance isn’t always realistic nor desirable for everyone. Nor, does it need to be so extreme.
For the past few weeks, I have implemented two simple changes to my days that have resulted in less time spent online: cooking intuitively and paper journaling. Best part? Without sacrificing the convenience, ease, and connection the digital world provides me.
Continue reading “Going analog in a digital world”
In 2011, I quit Facebook. In 2013, I quit Instagram, Tumblr, and Snapchat. In 2017, I quite Twitter, quitting social media all-together for three years. In between, I studied closely the psychological implications of the digital world on our lives and well-being. One of the most important lessons I learned was that technology isn’t neutral.
Continue reading “Addiction by design: How technology keeps us hooked”