Digital Wellness – Retirement Reflections

Every so often, I go on a digital spring cleaning spree—taking stock of how I’ve been using technology, deciding what feels manageable, tightening privacy settings, and clearing out digital clutter.

My latest round of reflection was sparked by the newly released book, Smartphone Nation, by Kaitlyn Regehr. What I appreciated most about this book is that Regehr isn’t anti-technology; she’s pro-digital literacy. She invites readers to reflect on their screen habits across devices and offers clear, practical strategies for making any desired changes.

Mindful Consumption: For a few reasons, I deleted several apps and platforms from my devices this past spring, including Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Amazon. To my surprise, I discovered I could easily live without them (seriously—who knew?). Still, I have often caught myself mindlessly scrolling, leading to far too many ‘I could have had a V8’ moments!

Here are a few helpful suggestions from Regehr (and others) that I’m continuing to work on:

• Set boundaries for screen-free time. This could be something like Sue’s (Women Living Well After 50) Screen-Free Sundays or simply carving out a defined portion of your day to be device-free.
• Unfollow accounts that drain your energy. Or, in the spirit of Marie Kondo, remove what doesn’t spark joy or serve a purpose.
• Replace passive scrolling with purposeful content. For me, that’s been much trip and event planning.
• Consider going grey. Another strategy suggested by Regehr to help reduce scrolling or phone addiction is to put your phone on grayscale. The idea behind this is that the colours on our phones can stimulate the release of dopamine, contributing to their addictive nature. I did give this an honest try, but since I usually scroll in the evenings when I am home, I found that I simply reached for my computer instead. 😦 If you have also given this a try, I’d love to hear about your experience.

Digital-Physical Balance: It’s currently summer here, with lots of visitors, events and activities, which has been perfect for getting me up, out and away from my screens.

Here are some other strategies I’ve been working on (just like exercise and healthy eating, nothing new here, but still, they are easier said than implemented).

• Resist any (real or perceived) pressure for quick response to texts/emails/phone calls. Being a ‘do it now and get-er done’ kind of gal, this one is a work-in-progress for me.
• Regularly close all screens an hour before bedtime to minimize blue light exposure. Again, this one is hard for me, especially since I typically read books on my phone.
• Take regular screen breaks—follow the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 mins, look 20 ft away for 20 seconds). I recall being given this strategy by an eye doctor to use when reading physical texts during my university years (way back then). It turns out that this strategy is now recommended for screen usage.

Track, Reflect and Resist

• Track screen time weekly. On your Android phone, go to Settings > Digital Well-Being. On iPhone, go to Settings > Screen Time > See All Apps and Website Activities. Regehr also suggests keeping a ‘Phone-Fed Journal’ for a few days, noting what you opened your phone to do, where you ended up, and how long you spent there. Much of social media is designed to pull us away from where we started and lead us to where advertisers would like us to go, which leads me to the next point (also emphasized by Regehr).
• Algorithm Resistance – To practice algorithmic resistance on your smartphone, consider diversifying your content consumption, adjusting your privacy settings, and actively seeking out different perspectives. Limiting time on specific platforms, searching for contrasting viewpoints, and changing your privacy settings can help limit/alter data collection. You can also check out apps like Opal that restrict access to distracting apps during times that you specify. 
• Declutter – Regularly delete unused apps, organize files, and, as mentioned in the first section, unfollow what you no longer need, or no longer is of benefit to you. This is often easier to accomplish when done in small bites.

Do you have any strategies to add for digital wellness?

What has been your current wellness focus?

Please join my cohosts and me in sharing how you have been staying well this past month. We would love to hear from you.

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Published by Retirement Reflections

Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.
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