A new year is upon us. It’s been said a million times; whenever a new year rolls around, it’s a good opportunity to set some personal and professional goals for yourself. 2024 is a significant year for many reasons, not least because technology has become so firmly intertwined with almost every aspect of our daily lives.
Therefore, many people are using the new year to reassess their relationships with technology. It’s been widely documented how an overreliance on smartphones and digital media can negatively influence many aspects of our health, productivity, happiness, and interpersonal relationships with others.
While there are positives to be gained from constructively using technology, it would be naive to ignore how it can lead to increased feelings of isolation, reduced social interactions, targeted cyber attacks on vulnerable users, sleep deprivation, and much more. So why not use 2024 as a means to reconsider how frequently and fervently you use the technology? Here are some practical tips for you to foster a more balanced relationship with tech this year.
Monitor and limit screen time
It’s shockingly easy to scroll through social media apps, check emails, play games, and interact with friends before you lose track of time. It can be incredibly difficult to ‘switch off’ from your work and personal lives with so many facets of it accessible via a single device.
To work around this, set daily limits for how much you use certain apps on your phone, or allow yourself to check emails and messages during specific hours of the day. Switch on ‘do not disturb’ mode during times of important social interaction, like meals with family or friends, important work meetings, and so on. It can’t hurt to go on an occasional digital detox when devices are left alone for a set time.
Protect your data and privacy
Cybercrime is on the rise, and with AI and ML growing in use, cyber attacks are only going to become more sophisticated and hard to prevent. For non-cyber-savvy phone users, it pays off to be vigilant in adopting better security habits.
At a minimum, use strong, unique passwords for all logins or accounts, avoid public, free WiFi when handling sensitive or financial data, and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). If you’re self-employed or run multiple aspects of your business via your device, it’s wise to familiarise yourself with social engineering and phishing and take steps to prevent these attacks from happening to you. Remain cautious about suspicious links or attachments, or opening conversations from unknown users. Regularly review your app permissions and the third-party data-sharing rules that could expose your data to bad actors.
Make time for real-world hobbies
An effective way to balance continual tech use is to nurture positive and enriching hobbies that don’t involve long periods staring at a screen. A new year is a perfect opportunity to take up a new passion project or rewarding pastime like learning musical instruments, pursuing craft hobbies like woodwork, painting, DIY or pottery, and participating in local community sports and fitness activities like five-a-side football, tennis, hiking, and more. Volunteering for causes you’re enthusiastic about is another great way to give back to the community and achieve a sense of personal fulfilment, as studies have shown.
Adopt healthier tech habits
It’s important to remember that technology isn’t always bad; some apps and devices can provide much-needed health benefits and boosts. Not every app is there to keep you scrolling endlessly and absorbing hours of valuable time each day.A new year is a popular time for people to join gyms, take up sports, and participate in fitness classes. Apps like fitness trackers, food diaries, health tips, and workout sessions can provide more motivation for people needing a push to achieve their goals. Mindfulness, meditation, and sleep improvement apps can also encourage better self-care. Switching your phone screen to remove blue light filters can also make the screen less jarring when you’re winding down for the day, and improve sleep.
WHOOP fitness tracker
Encourage screenless activities
The arrival of a new year regularly encourages a shift in people’s homes, schedules, and routines. An elongated period of relaxation and indulging during the Christmas break inspires many people to be immediately more ‘productive’ come January, and this can extend to include technology use. Consider having screen-free family dinners or game nights which don’t require the use of a phone. Get into the habit of unwinding before bed with a book, a gentle period of yoga, journal time, or listening to podcasts or audiobooks. Granted, the latter involves technology to some degree but allows you to immerse yourself in a virtual world without staring at a screen.
With the right attitude, balance, and enthusiasm, you can harness tech for positive reasons while improving your relationship with it, rather than letting it occupy most of your lifestyle in 2024. What changes do you plan to make this year?
