How to Ensure a Balanced Lifestyle in the Modern Digital World

Anyone over the age of 50 or 60 will have tons of stories from their younger days before the world was digitized. Childhood street games, landline phones and letters aren’t really all that long ago.

However, the world has been overtaken by screens and computers, which infiltrate every aspect of our lives. Finding balance is crucial, especially now, when every aspect of our lives is filled with electronics. In this article, we’ll highlight key ways to ensure a balanced lifestyle amidst the influence of modern technology.

The Prevalence of the Digital Lifestyle

Typically, only the oldest in society are managing to live a life that’s relatively clear of digital devices. Soon enough, very few people will escape the prevalence of digitization. From smartphones constantly on our person to the Internet of Things (IoT) in our homes controlling our smart blinds, music, and lighting, it’s pretty easy to be drawn into all the new technologies life offers. But to what effect?

The persistent digital presence and constant connectivity are very much a double-edged sword. Work and personal life have blurred boundaries, and we can start to feel increased pressure due to always being available and ‘plugged in.’

The psychological effects of excessive screen time significantly influence our lives. Issues like eyestrain and poor sleep have all been attributed to increased access to digital technology.

The Rise of Online Entertainment

Once upon a time, we might have used technology for work but switched to non-technology-based activities at home. Nowadays, though, much of our entertainment is also online. Whether streaming services, content consumption or gaming, our leisure activities are increasingly on a screen.

Online gaming, in particular, has reshaped our leisure time. It’s become a unique form of entertainment that connects people from all over the world. When online casinos (Canada) first became a thing, they were very rudimentary. Nowadays, though, they’re social hubs with live dealers that you don’t even need to leave your home to enjoy.

But how do we know when enough is enough? When screentime overtakes our lives, do we need to take a step back?

Recognizing the Signs of Imbalance

Knowing the signs of imbalance is the first step in ensuring a balanced lifestyle. The signs can be present physically as well as socially, emotionally, and mentally. 

Here are some signs that too much time is being spent on digital technology:

Strategies for Achieving Balance

The modern digital world calls for mindful and intentional steps to create balance. Here are some aspects that play a vital role in enabling a balanced lifestyle to minimize the negative impact of digital technology.

Establish Digital Boundaries

To ensure a proper balance, many people find success in setting limits on their screen time. Parents often do this for their children, but as adults, we must recognize this need for ourselves, too. You can define timeframes for work and leisure, then use apps to help limit and monitor your screen time usage. Lots of mobile phones have these tools already built in.

Another technique to help establish digital boundaries would be to create technology-free areas. This might be a space within the home or even an entire day of the week when technology is not used. If it’s too hard to have a digital detox at home, many people find success in going out for a walk and leaving their phones behind.

Things can be more challenging for those who work from home. In these situations, it can become crucial to schedule face-to-face interactions actively. Whether that’s social or with work colleagues. You should always consider virtual interactions to be complementary to face-to-face ones rather than replacing them.

Mindful Technology Use

Mindfulness is a trend, so why not join the cause and choose to be mindful when using technology? Having short breaks to reflect when you’re doing screen-intensive tasks, for example, can really help to rebalance things a little. Importantly, using technology with intentionality is key to achieving balance. This means that you’re aware of your use of technology and its purpose for each interaction. If it could be better done in person or otherwise, you can consider it.

Physical Health

The good thing about sports and physical activity is that you physically can’t use a screen most of the time when engaging in it. Going out for a run or a swim means clear, tech-free time. So, not only will your body thank you, but the screen break will also be good for your brain.

If your entire work life is on a screen, you can still make things work better. Many people use the 20-20-20 rule. This means that every 20 minutes you’re on a screen, you look up and focus on something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This helps to reduce eye strain. If possible, add to this by getting up and having a movement break.

Nurture Your Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Taking care of yourself emotionally and mentally is crucial to developing a balance. More often than not, when we feel down, we reach for technology. But this can be very counterproductive and can make things worse. By dedicating time to mindfulness can help build emotional resilience.

Stress management techniques like journaling, deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation are also great in combating the effects of too much screen time.

However, it’s essential to recognize that just like our physical health, we might need professional support with our mental health from time to time, too. Therapy and counselling both help navigate the complexities that a digital lifestyle brings.

Arguably, a pivotal antidote to digital-induced mental ill health is physical presence with friends and family offline. Balancing online connections with offline ones can promote a healthier relationship with technology.

Cultivating a Healthy Work-Life Integration

In terms of work and play, there needs to be a healthy balance here; otherwise, all lines are blurred. Many people who work from home try to establish a place in their home that’s just for work. For some people, having this space is not an option, but ideally, you don’t want your desk in the same room as your bed as you’ll always feel like you’re at work and won’t get that brain break.

Equally, if you have a dedicated work area, you should avoid doing anything ‘fun’ in your workspace. This means not using the same computer for leisure activities like watching movies, doing online shopping, or visiting online casinos.

Final Thoughts

Today’s working adults are in a strange situation: we didn’t grow up with the technology that’s now available to us, so we have to navigate the digital world blindfolded. Naturally, we’ll get things wrong and must find ways to redress imbalances. However, the good news for the next generations is that we will hopefully have provided more answers and passed on better habits. Time will tell!