Digital Wellbeing

Digital Wellbeing

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant barrage of notifications on your device?

Information is being thrown at you from social media, email, text, and news updates every second. A large percentage of the messages and notifications you receive are negative on social media and news outlets.

According to Dr. William Brady, a renowned psychologist that specializes in digital wellbeing, people are more likely to express moral outrage online because of the increased amount of negativity that is placed into their feeds. Also, the norms of groups they belong to online desensitize the consumer to unhealthy emotional dysregulation.  Then emotional dysregulation becomes the norm for them when they feel someone has done something they deem wrong. Brady reports people become angry and volatile to prove they belong to a certain group online.

What makes emotional dysregulation worse is there is contempt directed at those that disagree with the “moral outrager”!  This type of contempt over time can make the recipient angry, sad, or have a feeling of not belonging.  Think about it. Sometimes people are cruel in the comments on social media, often saying things they’d never say in person.  This can be severely damaging to your wellbeing. 

A great way to protect yourself is to become more mindful about how negatively is affecting you and create Technology Boundaries.

Practical Tips for Setting Boundaries

• Define Tech-Free Zones
• Establish Screen Time Limit
• Practice Digital Detox
• Limit Social Media Consumption
• Set Boundaries with Work Email
• Prioritize Real-Life Connections
• Understand Healthy Emotional Regulation