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    Tame Those Devices: 10 Tips to Achieve Digital Balance

    enApril 29, 2024

    Podcast Summary

    • Apple Card rewards, Sharing Economy, Digital Wellness DayApple Card offers daily cash rewards, Sharing Economy expands with platforms like Airbnb, Digital Wellness Day encourages setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and prioritizing face-to-face interactions.

      Apple Card offers daily cash rewards of up to 3% on purchases, making it an attractive option for consumers. Meanwhile, the sharing economy continues to expand with platforms like Airbnb, raising the possibility of earning income by renting out one's own home. Digital wellness is becoming increasingly important as we rely more on technology, and taking intentional steps to manage our usage can lead to improved happiness. During Digital Wellness Day on May 3rd, consider adopting tips like setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and prioritizing face-to-face interactions to strike a better balance with technology. And whether you're traveling to a beautiful destination like San Diego or staying at home, remember that every experience, no matter how small, has the potential to bring joy and rejuvenation.

    • Find balance with technology usageSetting intent and analyzing usage data are crucial steps towards achieving a healthier relationship with technology and finding balance.

      Achieving digital balance is crucial for our well-being, as we are constantly reaching for our devices and spending excessive time online, leading to decreased connection with others, reduced productivity, and potential health issues. Digital balance refers to finding the sweet spot where technology enhances our lives instead of controlling us. To achieve this balance, setting intent is key. When we set an intention, we are 40% more likely to follow through on actions. To set an intent, we first need to be aware of our current technology usage through data analysis. By comparing our estimated usage to the actual data, we can gain insight into our habits and make informed decisions to create change. This awareness is the first step towards making meaningful modifications for a healthier relationship with technology.

    • Be intentional with digital habits for better time management and reduced distractionsAsk 'really' before engaging with technology, use stopping cues to take breaks, and use tools like Pomodoro Technique and Insight Timer to boost productivity and improve well-being.

      Being mindful and intentional with our digital habits can help us make better use of our time and reduce unnecessary distractions. The "really rule" is a helpful guideline to ask ourselves if we really need to engage with technology at a given moment, or if there's a better use of our time. Additionally, using stopping cues, such as visual or auditory signals, can help us take breaks and avoid getting stuck in mindless scrolling or distractions. These strategies can boost productivity and improve overall well-being. The Pomodoro Technique and apps like Insight Timer can be useful tools to implement these strategies. It's important to remember that technology is designed to keep us engaged, so being intentional and using stopping cues can help us maintain a healthy balance.

    • The Power of Technology to Steal Our AttentionApps without limits can be addictive, grayscale mode helps reduce distractions, intentional use and willpower are key to regaining control, and becoming an Airbnb host can earn extra income.

      Apps without limits on content can be detrimental to our consumption habits and can negatively impact our ability to set boundaries. These apps, often designed to keep us engaged with features like bottomless scrolling, can be addictive and require intentional effort to limit use. A simple way to understand the power of technology in stealing our attention is by switching our phones to grayscale mode, which removes color and other visual stimuli. This exercise shows how effectively technology engages our senses and keeps us focused. To regain control, setting intentions and using willpower are essential. However, it's not an easy feat, and companies design technology to capture our attention. Ultimately, we have the power to control our minds and make conscious choices about our technology use. Additionally, considering becoming an Airbnb host when not at home can be a great way to earn extra income and offset travel costs.

    • Impact of physical environment and digital habits on happiness and well-beingReclaim focus and prevent distractions by hiding your phone, protect in-person relationships from digital distractions, and strengthen overall well-being and happiness.

      Both our physical environment and digital habits significantly impact our happiness and well-being. Your home might be worth more than you think, and a trip to a place like sunny San Diego can help rejuvenate you. Regarding digital wellness, author Amy Blankson suggests hiding your phone from your line of sight to reclaim focus and prevent distractions. Phubbing, or phone snubbing, is a common issue that interrupts conversations and weakens social connections. Technology can also negatively impact our social connections by reducing eye contact and emotional contagion. By protecting our in-person relationships from digital distractions, we can strengthen our overall well-being and happiness.

    • Boost real-life social connection and achieve digital balanceEngage in screen-free activities, create a list of alternatives, use tech to track physical activity, improve ergonomics, and balance screen time with real-life activities.

      To boost real-life social connection and achieve digital balance, we should engage in screen-free activities and create a list of alternatives. Our bodies also face challenges as we interact more with screens, such as sedentary behavior, disrupted sleep patterns, and forgetting to eat properly. To address this, we can use technology to track our physical activity and improve ergonomics, but we must remember not to let it consume us. The key is to make technology work for us, not the other way around. Some screen-free activities include playing games outside, doing arts and crafts, cooking, and simply noticing the world around us. By balancing our screen time with these activities and being mindful of our body's needs, we can strengthen our social connections and maintain a healthier relationship with technology.

    • Optimize tech for comfort and sleepEnsure laptop screen at eye level for comfort, keep tech out of bedroom or adjust settings for sleep, practice screen-free mornings.

      Optimizing your technology use for comfort and sleep is crucial for digital wellness. Regarding comfort, ensuring your laptop screen is at eye level can prevent back, neck pain, and posture issues. This can be achieved by raising your laptop or using an adjustable desk. As for sleep, there's debate about keeping technology, especially phones, out of the bedroom due to blue light's impact on circadian rhythms and the temptation to use it before bed. However, some people, like the speaker, find ways to make it work for them, such as adjusting blue light settings or using it as an alarm clock. Additionally, practicing a screen-free morning can help you control the course of your day and reduce the urge to respond to notifications immediately. Ultimately, it's essential to evaluate your personal triggers and boundaries to find what works best for you.

    • Incorporating mindfulness practices online and offline for happinessStart your day with mindfulness practices like journaling or gratitude journaling. Use apps for journaling or gratitude tracking. Practice acts of kindness, meditation, and exercise. Be mindful of phone usage at work. Consider becoming an Airbnb host for extra income and community.

      Incorporating mindfulness practices, both offline and online, can significantly contribute to raising your happiness baseline. Start your day with a mindfulness practice, such as journaling or gratitude journaling, even for just a few minutes. Utilize technology to help you with these practices, such as using apps for journaling or gratitude tracking. Additionally, consider using technology for other happiness-boosting habits like acts of kindness, meditation, and exercise. At work, be mindful of your phone usage and find ways to use technology to enhance your productivity and happiness, rather than letting it control you. Lastly, consider becoming an Airbnb host if you have a home but aren't always there to utilize it, as hosting can provide extra income and a sense of community.

    • Setting Digital Boundaries for WellbeingUnderstand screen fatigue causes, schedule breaks, promote physical activity, and prioritize self-care for increased productivity and overall wellbeing.

      Both physical and mental wellbeing contribute to happiness, and San Diego offers an ideal environment for rejuvenation. However, maintaining a healthy digital balance at work can be challenging. Author Amy Blankson emphasizes the importance of setting digital boundaries and fostering positive digital culture. Screen fatigue, a result of prolonged screen usage, can lead to irritability and mental exhaustion. Understanding its causes and implementing short breaks can help combat screen fatigue and prevent burnout. One effective solution is scheduling "walk and talk" meetings to reduce screen time and promote physical activity. Remember, prioritizing self-care and setting healthy boundaries can lead to increased productivity and overall wellbeing.

    • Taking breaks from digital work and engaging in manual activities or setting digital boundariesTaking breaks from digital work and engaging in manual activities or setting digital boundaries can improve mental well-being and productivity. Options include going for a walk, doing household chores, or setting up an 'invisible fence' for clear work-life separation.

      Taking breaks from digital work and engaging in manual activities or creating digital boundaries can significantly improve mental well-being and productivity. The speaker suggests options like going for a walk, doing household chores, or setting up an "invisible fence" to separate work and personal life. These practices can help prevent screen fatigue and mental decline, and allow individuals to reclaim a balance between the digital and real worlds. The invisible fence concept involves setting clear boundaries for oneself and communicating them to others, allowing for a more focused and productive work environment. By recognizing the importance of these boundaries and implementing them effectively, individuals can enhance their overall work experience and well-being.

    • Setting invisible fences for work-life balance in remote workSetting digital filters, self-imposed screen limits, or mental mantras can help create work-life balance in remote work. Prioritize social connection through activities like regular check-ins, group meditations, and casual conversations during virtual meetings to create a more fulfilling remote work experience.

      Setting invisible fences can help improve work-life balance, especially in the context of remote work. These fences can take various forms, such as digital filters, self-imposed screen limits, or even mental mantras. Another important aspect is prioritizing social connection at work, even in a virtual setting. This can be achieved through activities like regular check-ins, group meditations, and casual conversations during virtual meetings. By weaving personal connections into our workday, we can create a more balanced and fulfilling remote work experience. Remember, it's essential to work hard but also play hard and show appreciation for colleagues. This balance, as advocated by the concept of Digital Wellness Day, can lead to greater overall happiness and well-being.

    • Discover San Diego for relaxation and BetterHelp for mental health supportSan Diego offers relaxation and rejuvenation, while BetterHelp provides accessible online therapy for mental health management. Canva Presentations simplifies slide design for professional success.

      San Diego offers a warm and welcoming environment with stunning scenery and enjoyable experiences, making it an excellent destination for rest, rejuvenation, and happiness. Simultaneously, prioritizing mental health is crucial for everyone, and BetterHelp provides accessible and affordable online therapy to help manage mental health challenges. Additionally, Canva Presentations' AI-powered feature streamlines the presentation design process, allowing users to create captivating slides without switching between apps. Overall, these tools and experiences contribute to personal growth and professional success. Remember, your mental health matters, and San Diego awaits your visit for relaxation, while BetterHelp and Canva are here to support you in various aspects of your life.

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    Related Episodes

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    Transcript for the episode can be found here.

     

    Adam’s Twitter: @ModeledBehavior

    Adam’s website: https://adamozimek.com/

     

    Related Links:

     

    *The Future of Remote Work*by Adam Ozimek

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    *How Many U.S. Jobs Might be Offshorable?* by Alan Blinder

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    David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth

    David’s blog: http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/

    Connectivity and Productivity: A Discussion With Author and Speaker, Phil Simon

    Connectivity and Productivity: A Discussion With Author and Speaker, Phil Simon

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    Adjustments in the Workplace

     

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of Americans working remotely more than doubled from around 30 percent to 60 percent in March 2020, and organizations began embracing new collaboration platforms such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom as part of the adjustment process as a result of this increase. 

     

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    When businesses were forced to close and employees were required to wear masks, just a few businesses were allowed to continue operations as usual. The vast majority of people were entirely unprepared for the enormous changes that were about to take place in their lives. When it came to internal communication, they continued to rely on email as well as on typical corporate processes and attitudes.

     

    A New Age of Productivity

     

    To cope with COVID-19’s repercussions on corporate organizations, employers, human resource managers, and consultants were obliged to think creatively about how they might implement a remote work strategy. Businesses had an urgent need to alter these barriers in dealing with the international economic instability caused by the virus.

     

    If a shift to a new system is the path moving forward, what possible methods can businesses use to better utilize the tools that we currently have in this day and age?

     

    Phil Simon suggests that companies should start embracing the Hub-Spoke model of collaboration. This model is a technique of distribution wherein a centralized "hub" operates. From the hub, products are sent outward to smaller groups known as spokes for further storage and delivery.

     

    With this model, it aims to help firms significantly increase staff productivity, simplify current business procedures, and provide the basis for subsequent machine-learning and artificial intelligence advances.

     

    The hub may be thought of as a meta-organization that functions in parallel to established innovation laboratories. Employees at the innovation-hub can connect informally over the web and work freely on innovation to bolster the firm's performance.

     

    Out with the Old, In the New?

     

    Efficiency should not be dependent on one factor alone. While the hub-spokes model creates a more systematic approach in revamping business models to fit the current situation, it is best to have it hand-in-hand with tried and tested organizational techniques.

     

    By adopting particular initiatives and establishing a culture that supports their virtual workforce, executives may boost their teams' performance output and engagement. They must build and sustain a culture of trust, as well as modernize leadership communication methods and procedures in order to properly educate virtual personnel. 

     

    Additionally, team members must be encouraged to share leadership. Finally, executives must establish and conduct frequent alignment checks to ensure that virtual workers adhere to the organization's cultural values, including their commitment to its goals.

     

    All of these procedures begin with the realization that team formation will be significantly different with remote members, demanding the creation of new leadership strategies, communication routines, and tools.

     

    Final Thoughts

     

    In a world where social distancing and remote work has become the new normal, it is now more important than ever to make good use of the current technologies we have to be just as productive as before the pandemic hit the globe.In Simon’s concluding statements, he deems it important that for a collaborative system to work, employees must be willing to commit to the shift fully. Problems will surely arise when employees refuse to use certain technologies because they either find it too complicated or too time-consuming to actually learn new things instead of going the more traditional route of working.

     

    The willingness to change is always the first step towards growth. Just as the world has changed, we must also be willing to adapt to this change. Resistance will always be a hindrance to progress, just as the refusal to learn denies a person the chance to be more efficient and productive.

     

    It is part of TARTLE’s vision to create a world where knowledge is shared and problems are solved through a collective and collaborative effort. We believe that teamwork is power, and collaboration is the key to progress. The power is back in your hands.

     

    What’s your data worth? www.tartle.co

     


    TCAST is brought to you by TARTLE. A global personal data marketplace that allows users to sell their personal information anonymously when they want to, while allowing buyers to access clean ready to analyze data sets on digital identities from all across the globe.

     


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