Living In Harmony With Tech For A Healthier You
Finding a balance between embracing the benefits of tech while maintaining a healthy connection with the real world is more important than ever now that so many more of us are working remotely.
Our way of living has continued to change online over the last few years, expedited by the rona lock-downs. There is a silver lining to this as many jobs became fully remote and people were able to create their own schedules, travel, and some become digital wanderers.
That said, with remote workers spending tremendous amounts of time in front of their computers, we need to take into account the health hazards of this extended screen time, sitting, and exposure to electronics. This involves finding a balance between embracing the benefits of tech while maintaining a healthy connection with the real world.
Limit your screen time and create tech-free zones in your home or schedule, such as designated family dinners, tech-free weekends, or time spent outdoors. Ideally, no screen time at all at least an hour before bed.
Make an effort to have meaningful conversations with friends, family, and colleagues in person, rather than relying solely on digital communication.
Ergonomics are very important too. This is a topic we could write an entire article on, so best to just list some important things to consider, and I will leave it to the reader to look into each one further. Chair (adjustable). Keyboard (natural). Mouse(comfortable). Lighting(indirect). Monitor(eye-level). Stretch(frequently). Standing desks(optional).
Choose technology that helps you achieve your goals and supports your well-being, rather than becoming a source of stress or distraction. One good example is to enable the ‘night light’ on you monitor. It goes my many names, but it blocks the high-frequency blue light that LED screens have which is damaging to the eye, and make it hard to sleep at night. Even more powerful are the OLED and AMOLED displays found in mobile phones, which radiate light directly from the screen instead of a back-light as typical LED screens use.
Educate yourself on data privacy and take necessary steps to protect your personal information. Use privacy-focused tools and services, and limit the information you share online. See my article, ” Reclaiming Our Privacy – A Step By Step Guide” for all the nerdy details.
Take steps to prevent ‘work creep’. When the lines between work and personal life are blurred, it is easy to let one creep into the other. Create boundaries based upon time of day, or a certain location of the home. For example, try not to be checking work emails before breakfast or after dinner. Work in a room with the door closed and make sure everyone knows you’re ‘at work’.
By embracing these strategies, we can live harmoniously with technology and enjoy the benefits it provides while maintaining a healthy connection with the world around us.