D R K R I S T Y G O O D W I N . C O M

B Y D R K R I S T Y G O O D W I NP R E S E N T A T I O N S U M M A R Y B Y D R K R I S T Y G O O D W I N

D IGITAL HEALTH, WELLBEING + P RODUCTIVITY

Whether we love it or loathe it, technology is here to stay. When used effectively, technology can bolster our productivity, make us efficient at work (and home) and support our health and

wellbeing. However, technology can also impede our productivity, cause us to be digitally distracted and compromise our health and wellbeing. Its effectiveness and impact is ultimately determined by how we use technology. Are we in control of our tech habits, or is technology controlling us?

This eBook summarises some of the key points addressed in my keynote address, Digital Health and Wellbeing. This is my signature keynote that I deliver to corporations who want to help their employees and executives develop healthy and helpful tech habits that maximise their productivity, maintain their physical and emotional health and improve their wellbeing in a digital age...without suggesting that we abstain from technology (totally unhelpful and unrealistic advice).

Technology is here to stay. We need to tame our tech habits so we’re not a slave to the screen. But instead, we need to become a master of the media.

K E Y M E S S A G E S

Technology is constantly evolving and changing and we are the first generation of adults who are living and working in a screen-saturated world- do you remember when pagers and palm pilots were ‘new’ and our mobile phones resembled a brick? Perhaps you remember a time when email could only be checked on your desktop computer at the office... it certainly didn’t follow you to the dinner table and you certainly couldn’t be contacted by phone at your son’s soccer game.

Prior to the advent of mobile technologies, we once had clear lines of demarcation between our work and home lives. We’d ‘clock off’ at 5:30pm, leave the office and be done with work. There was a finite end point to our working day. However, the omnipresence of mobile technologies has resulted in blurred boundaries. We can be watching our daughter’s ballet rehearsal, but dealing with a crisis in the office on our phone. We can be enjoying an overseas holiday with our partner, yet still responding to an onslaught of emails and calls from work.

As a result, we’re trying to determine how to best utilise technology, both at work and home. We certainly need and want to use technology (digital amputation isn’t the solution), but we don’t want technology to control us and adversely impact our health, wellbeing and productivity. We want to develop healthy, sustainable relationships with technology... where we’re in control of how we use our gadgets and not the converse situation, where technology controls us!

This brief eBook will highlight some of the practical ways that we can foster and promote healthy and helpful tech habits.

In my keynote address, Digital Health and Wellbeing, I outlined four broad ways in which technology is impacting our health, wellbeing and productivity and provided practical realistic strategies and ideas to foster healthy tech habits. An outline of each is provided below and detailed in the following sections of this eBook.

Digitally dependent

Digital dilemmas

Digital distractions

Digiatl wellbeing

Why do we find it hard to put down our smartphones and shut the laptop lid? There are neurobiological explanations for our behaviour: technology has been intentionally designed to prey on our psychological vulnerabilities as humans. What can we do to lessen our digital dependence and obsession?

The boundaries between work and home life have now become blurred, thanks to mobile technologies. Recognise some of the current issues and concerns facing employees and executives (and their employers) in the digital age and develop a repertoire of strategies to help promote healthy tech habits.

Alerts, notifications, phone calls and multi-tasking are just some of the ways that technology can impede our productivity and derail our wellbeing. The online world offers constant sensory seductions that can hijack our attention. Learn simple ways to tame your tech habits and become a digital productivity-ninja in this section.

Our time looking at smartphones, tablets and laptops can adversely impact our physical and emotional health and wellbeing. Impaired vision, hearing, increasing rates of musculoskeletal issues are some the ways that our tech-time can compromise our wellbeing

Technology has been designed to prey on our basic, human psychological vulnerabilities.

D I G I T A L L Y D E P E N D E N T

Our technology habits are driven both by the design of technology (it has been intentionally designed to prey on our basic, human psychological vulnerabilities) and

also by our psychological and neurobiological response to technology. Not only does an understanding of our digital dependence explain why we reach for our phones before our partners first thing in the morning, but it also helps us to understand why people have become obsessed with their digital devices too (this is particularly helpful if you’re a parent who tries to wrangle phones or gaming consoles from kids’ or teens’ hands, or perhaps helps if your partner is ‘digitally obsessed’.)

According to Tristan Harris from the Center of Humane Technology some of the (many) ways that technology preys on our psychological vulnerabilities includes (but certainly isn’t limited to):

// Poor forecasting- as humans we often grossly underestimate the amount of time a task will take to complete. For example, we might quickly jump into our inbox to respond to one email, under the misguided belief that it will only take three minutes. However, before long we find ourselves responding to five other emails and that three minutes has blown out.

// Technology offers intermittent variable rewards (much the same way that poker machines work). Intermittent rewards are addictive because we’re never certain when we’ll ‘win’ (i.e. read an interesting or important email).

// As humans we’re hard-wired for loss aversion- this is why we suffer from FOMO- fear of missing out. This is what keeps us on a treadmill of always checking our emails and social media feeds and checking our email while on holidays.

//Technology alters our physical state and causes a physiological stress response. For example, some of us suffer from email apnoea where we literally hold our breath when checking email. This activates the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn dumps cholesterol and glucose in our blood and increases our heart rate. Our sensory and nervous systems also get bombarded when we’re online and so we often enter a physically stressed state when we’re using digital devices. When we’re in a stressed state, we’re more likely to succumb to distractions and so the cycle is perpetuated.

Technology caters for our three fundamental psychological drivers (based on self-determination theory)- our need to connect, feel competent and in control. Technology

perfectly appeals to each of these needs, but if we’re not in control of how we use technology, it can also compromise these three basic needs. For example, technology can help us to connect with colleagues, clients, friends and family. However, if we don’t have firm boundaries around how, where and when we use our devices, technology can erode our close relationships.

In addition, technology has a strong neurobiological impact on our brain and this can explain our digital infatuation:

// Digital devices can cause the brain to release dopamine (feel-good neurotransmitter) as screen activities are typically pleasurable pursuits. Dopamine can hijack and impede the performance of the prefrontal cortex (the logical, CEO, air-traffic control system of the brain) and so we feel compelled to constantly check email, reply to messages etc as we’re craving dopamine (this is also one of the main reasons why kids and teens experience ‘techno-tantrums’);

// We often enter the psychological state of flow when using gadgets and so our sense of time can disappear. We literally can lose track of time when we’re online and engrossed with what we’re doing (this is also why giving kids and teens screen limits is often ineffective because their concept of time disappears);

// The prefrontal cortex (the CEO, logical part of the brain) has been biologically wired for novelty and the online world is always new, interesting and immediately gratifying. The real world, in contrast is not. It’s slow-paced, requires concerted effort to achieve results and is boring at times. Remember, this is why boredom is still essential for us. Our brains weren’t designed to be constantly processing information and sensory stimulus on screens. We need white space and unplugged time for optimal health and performance; and

//When we use devices we often enter the state of insufficiency. We never feel ‘done’ or complete. There’s always another browser or app we can open, another email to reply to, we can constantly refresh our social media feeds and video games literally never end.

// Proximity- keep your phone out of sight, out of mind. Drag apps that are your ‘digital weakness’ into a folder off the home screen.

// Boundaries- establish boundaries around where and when you’ll use devices.

// Disable alerts & notifications- these hijack your attention and cuase you to enter a stressed state

// Use online tools (ironically) to track and modify your digital habits- Try Moment (iOS), Quality Time (android), Break Free. Look for Apple Screen Time tool.

Tech tips

D I G I T A L D I L E M M A S

Given that the work and personal boundaries have become blurred because of mobile devices and social media networks, we need to be vigilant about our ‘digital DNA’.

Every message, email, social media post can have both professional, personal and even legal ramifications. We need to think critically about our online activity (both at work and home) to ensure that we’re maintaining positive digital DNA.

It’s more challenging than ever to have clear lines of demarcation between work and home. It’s easy for our work lives to seep into our personal lives. I refer to this as the

‘digital pull’. We might physically leave the work environment, but thanks to phones and mobile technologies, we can now let our work permeate our personal and family lives. This can have cascading impacts on not only our mental wellbeing, but also on our significant relationships with others. So much so, that researchers have started investigating the effects of ‘techno-ference’ on parent-child relationships!

Tech tips

Tech tips

// Pause before you post- draft an email and delay sending it, if you’re in an emotional state.

// Avoid tech use at night- When our amygdala (emotional centre of the brain) is firing, we can post things we later regret).

// Curate your social media channels- regularly check what you’re sharing on your scoial media channels, update your privacy settings regularly.

// Create your own tech rules and habits- we don’t need to be tethered to our devices 24/7. Set boundaries around when you can check your phone or email, stick to these and set up auto-responders to let other people know (it also encourages them to do the same).

// Schedule physical activity- being physically active can help counteract the impact of tech on our stress response. It helps us to release cortisol which often builds up because of our tech habits.

Tech tips

D I G I T A L D I S T R A C T I O N S

We’re working in a world where we’re experiencing constant digital distractions. Email alerts, phone notifications, auto-play videos, phone calls and messages 24/7, curated social media

feeds and targeted ads are just some of the many ways that they’re being digitally bombarded. Our digital dependence and habits are changing our attention, compromising our productivity at work and impacting our wellbeing.

As Tristan Harries, a former Google Design Ethicist, suggests, we’re living in an attention economy. There are so many things constantly vying for our attention. And our attention is the most precious, non-renewable commodities we have as humans. If we can’t manage and direct our attention, we can easily succumb to the sensory smörgåsbord of the online world and the multitude of digital temptations that buzz, beep and flash. But our attention is under threat in this constantly buzzing and beeping world. In today’s digital workplace it’s so much harder for us to manage and direct our attention (without getting side-tracked by a Facebook alert, or an email ping, or a pop-up menu from our online communication tool).

One of the biggest myths that we’ve adopted in our attempt to manage our attention and the constant onslaught of information is that we can multi-task to compensate. And we can’t. The neuroscience confirms that the human brain is incapable of multi-tasking. In fact, when we think we’re multi-tasking, we’re actually engaging in ‘task switching’ which results in continuous partial attention. Our brain is incapable of simultaneously processing two types of information.

Multi-tasking is a myth. We need to mono-task instead.

Multi-tasking costs:• Studies have consistently found that multi-tasking results in increased error rates and decreased performance. Studies suggest that interruptions disrupt our ability to commit information to memory and to later recall that information. We actually send information to the wrong part of the brain when we multi-task. Instead of it going to the hippocampus (memory centre of the brain, we send it to the striatum.• Multi-tasking also overloads our working memory. Our brain has a cognitive load (a maximum level at which it can process data) and multi-tasking basically causes it to reach its threshold. • Multi-tasking produces cortisol (the stress hormone) and adrenaline which can inhibit learning and memory. Stressed brains don’t allow neural pathways to form.• Multi-tasking results in fatigue as it depletes glucose levels in the brain. This is why we feel exhausted and disoriented after we’ve multi-tasked.• Multi-tasking actually takes us longer to complete each individual task. Even though we think we’re being effective when we multi-task, studies have shown it actually takes us longer to complete both tasks as we switch between them.

D I G I T A L D I S T R A C T I O N S

We need to help build a fortress around our focus.

// Work in short periods and bursts- batch like-type tasks together. Try to Pomodoro technique. // Set your phone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ so that you’re not constantly being bombarded by unnecessary phone calls when we’re working on an important project.

// Go greyscale on your mobile devices. That red icon that indicates you have 47 unread emails was strategically designed to be red as it triggers that it is urgent and requires your attention (did you also ever wonder why it wasn’t a blue or green icon?). Watch the video here to set it up.

// Implement the proximity strategy- ‘out of sight, out of mind’ works in taming our digital distractions. Pop your phone in a drawer, or in your bag when you need to be finishing a presentation. Hide your digital temptations off your home screen on your smartphone. If you succumb to Instagram or Facebook, drag them into a folder on the fifth page of your home screen.

// Tame your inbox- set an autoresponder on your email to inform people that you only check your inbox at set times of the day. Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails.

// Use technology- yes, I know it seems ironic, but there is a wealth of online tools you can use to help you form healthier relationships with technology. For example, you can use Self Control or Focus Me to stop you from opening specific websites at set times (so you can actually finish the task you’re supposed to be working on). The Apple Screen Time tool will also help you manage and moderate your tech habits.

Tech tips

There’s a resumption lag when we multi-task because we have to re-orient our attention after we’ve been distracted by another task. Some studies have suggested that it can take up to 23 minutes to re-orient ourselves after we’ve been distracted. Imagine the financial cost those constant digital distractions would be having on employee productivity.

D I G I T A L W E L L B E I N G

VisionGiven that we’re spending increasing amounts of time with digital devices s, it’s vital that we’re using them in healthy and correct ways. Incorrect or excessive use of screens can potentially harm our vision, or place our eyes under stressors for increasing periods of time.

HearingThe World Health Organization (sic) estimates that 1.1 billion people worldwide could be at risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) because of unsafe use of personal music devices including mp3 players and smartphones. NIHL typically develops because of repeated exposure to loud sounds over time (as is the case for many kids incorrectly using headphones).

Our consistent use of headphones above safe hearing levels is a huge threat to our hearing. Research confirms that use of headphones above 75dB can cause permanent hearing loss. However, many of us are surprised to learn that most commercial mp3 players can reach more than 130dB (contingent upon the model of mp3 player and brand of headphones used)! Hearing damage is cumulative, which is a potential concern for parents as younger children are now using headphones, meaning they may be susceptible to hearing loss in years to come- we don’t yet have the long-term research to confirm this, as yet.

// 20-20-20-20 rule – You need to take frequent breaks when using digital devices. Every 20 minutes of using a screen, you should take (at least) 20-second break away from the screen, blink 20 times (this also helps to lubricate the eyes and prevent computer vision syndrome), to look at something at least 20-feet away (approximately 6 metres which helps to develop depth of vision) and to do something physically active for 20 seconds (star jumps, walk to the water cooler, stretch to help the body calibrate and reposition so no unhealthy postures are adopted).

// Implement screen-free breaks outside- Time in natural sunlight is vital for healthy visual development- Vitamin D helps the myopic nerve. (Kids and teens need 10-14 hours of natural sunlight per week for healthy eyes. Time in nature also gives eyes a much-needed break from looking at things close distance.)

Tech tips

D I G I T A L W E L L B E I N G

Physical Health-There are potential risks to our physical health if we’re using screens excessively or incorrectly. Tech-neck, gaming claw and text-thumb are the colloquial terms used to describe the serious physical ailments that can result from repetitive or incorrect use of screens. The adoption of unhealthy ergonomic postures can place physical strain on our bodies and over time the cumulative impact can be harmful.

// Volume control – Use the settings on the device to set maximum volume levels. Many products do not allow users to set a specific decibel level, but you can set maximum levels based on what ‘sounds’ suitable. Check with individual manufacturers as to how to do this.

// Avoid using ear-bud style headphones – use noise-canceling, ear-muff type headphones (it’s not essential that they’re the expensive branded headphones that teens will insist you buy them) as these cancel some of the background noise, making it easier for you to listen to the music without having competing background noise.

Tech tips

// Take regular breaks– away from screens to prevent your muscles from fatiguing. When we’re tired we’re more unlikely to adopt poor postures. If we have a break from using a screen and do something physically active in the interim, when we resume using a device we’ll be more likely to adopt healthy ergonomic postures.

// Teach correct ergonomics– learn how to adjust desks and work areas to suit your physical needs. For example, when using laptops and desktop computers your feet should be flat on the ground and knees and spines should be at a 90° angle too. Use chairs with adjustable heights, tilts and lower-back support (or insert a cushion to provide extra support). With mobile devices like tablets and smartphones bring devices to your eye level (and not your body hunched over to the device’s level) while maintaining your posture (just remember to switch the device to airplane mode first before popping it in your lap to reduce any possible risks associated with electromagnetic radiation).

Tech tips

Kristy also delivers Lunch and Learn seminars in the workplace on Raising Digital Kids and Digital Health and Wellness (for executives and employees).

If you’re interested in Kristy speaking at your workplace or school please contact her team via info@drkristygoodwin.com

CLICK HERE

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F I N A L T I P SF I N A L T H O U G H T S

Technology is here to stay so we need to learn how to harness its potential and also how to mitigate

any potential risks. This means we must learn healthy and helpful ways to use screens and tame

our tech habits, so that we’re in control.

About Dr KristyDr Kristy Goodwin is on a mission to solve parents’ and professionals’ digital dilemmas by arming them with facts (not fears) about the impact of technology on kids, teens and adults. She helps parents ditch the techno-guilt and raise happy, healthy kids who thrive online and offline and helps comapnies maximise employee and executive health and productivity by taming and leveraging their tech habits. Kristy translates the latest research, from a range of disciplines into practics and digestible information, tips, and tricks for parents and professionals so that they use technology in healthy & helpful ways.

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