The Hub Digital wellness: The new focus of 2021
Professional Development with PowerED

Digital wellness: The new focus of 2021

Many of us have seen the meme that says, “Another day of staring at the big screen, while scrolling through my little screen, to reward myself for staring at the medium screen all week.”

And while its funny because for most, it’s true, this much screen time has a huge effect on our digital wellness—and our overall wellness in general. The introduction of remote work practices aimed at limiting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased productivity and work accessibility, but it has also increased our constant connectivity. In fact, from 2020–2021, the amount of time we spend on wifi-enabled devices has increased by 46 per cent.

Square image that says 55% of people regularly check their email after 11 pm - PowerED logo

Think about the last time you sat in a room with someone, and you were both on your phones. This concept is known as “phubbing”—phone-snubbing. Or, how about the feeling of being exhausted after a full day of Zoom or Team’s video calls? This is known as “zoom fatigue” and it can have negative impacts on the domains of communication, mental health, physical health.

While these may be relatively new terms, the feeling of being simultaneously plugged in and tuned out has been a reality for many years. As a result, reclaiming our relationship with technology and focusing on our digital wellness has never been more important.

What is digital wellness?

Digital wellness has emerged as a new concept reflecting the increasing need for more balance in the way digital technologies are integrated into every aspect of human life. Digital wellness is the optimum state of health, personal fulfillment, and interpersonal satisfaction that each individual using technology is capable of achieving. Digital Wellness incorporates strategies and solutions to achieve a state of digital well-being. It reflects a way of life that integrates technology in our lives in a manner that allows us to live more fully in our social, natural, and digital environments.

To help you reclaim your relationship with technology and find a balance, PowerED™ in partnership with the Digital Wellness Institute have launched Digital Wellness 101: Optimizing Your Time & Energy is a short, self-directed micro-course, designed to help you re-establish an overall sense of well-being and develop a healthier, more intentional relationship with your digital technology.

Want to learn more?

PowerED™ Director Jessica Scott joined CTV Morning Live, Edmonton on Global Digital Wellness Day to talk about what digital wellness looks like, and how we can begin to bring a sense of balance back into our lives when it comes to technology.

“The reason we partnered with the Digital Wellness Institute was so that we could provide tools to individuals who need them the most—and digital wellness has never been more important,” said Jessica Scott, Director of PowerED™.

To learn more or to register, visit the Digital Wellness 101: Optimizing Your Time & Energy course webpage.

Published:
  • October 18, 2021