There is so much content uploaded every single second. It becomes harder to stand out because there is just so much content out there. Content that screams “watch me”, “read me”, “share me”, “comment about me”. More creativity is demanded to stand out, and one way to achieve quick fame people noticed, is to …
Because of power cords and chargers, we don’t need to become anxious when the batteries of our devices run out. We can charge our devices constantly most of the time. Fair enough, when you’re outdoors and your phone has 10% battery left, you might experience a dose of nomophobia (no mobile phone phobia). Nowadays …
Why do we often feel sad, frustrated, angry and disappointed when we scroll through the news feed? It’s because we automatically compare our lives to our friend’s lives. With the knowledge that we only witness the highlights of someone else’s life, it is clear why this formula causes anything but uplifting emotions. We see …
Social media can be used for good. I use social media to remind people not to use social media so much. Social media is used as a vehicle to spread my message, to reach a larger audience. Do I use social media as a journal where I present my day to day activities to …
Spread Your Message When it’s Meaningful and Inspirational Read More »
The internet allows anyone to share their opinion. Any voice can be heard in the digital world. On social media alone you can check your news feed to encounter any beliefs, opinions and ideas from the people you follow. It is fascinating to see how people can really lash out sometimes. People become easily …
Don’t Get Offended So Easily, Learn to Ask Questions Read More »
Watching movies is a relaxing activity which involves a screen. There’s nothing wrong with that. One of the activities you can take on (especially with the pandemic still going on), is collective screen time. By collective screen time, I don’t mean mindless screen time. I mean you plan screen time together with your family …
In a world where phones were mostly used for calling, texting was not a common habit. When mobile phones started to become mainstream in the late 90s, we mostly used our cell phones and flip phones (which were huge!) for calling purposes. Once in a while we were sending a text message called SMS …
We are so used to sending text messages, whether that happens via social media apps or IM apps. We are excellent in writing words and sentences with the help of the touchscreen. This is one of the reasons we are often hunched over staring at our small rectangular object. A strategy I use to …
Tech can be used for good and for bad. Social media can be used for good and for bad. Social media is not evil, you just want to remember that those platforms want your eyeballs on them as much as possible. Money is not evil, it’s people who can use money in ethical ways …
Discuss Both the Pros and Cons of the Digital World Read More »
Online we encounter loads of people. Just scroll through a news feed of any of your social media accounts and you see loads of updates from the people you befriend and follow. There is a load of data that we take in. Think about it… When you count all the tweets, posts, videos, images …
Ignore the Online Chatter and Listen to Your Inner Voice Read More »
Apps love to use your device to distract you. Notifications will keep coming in when you don’t disable them. What does your device fundamentally need in order to distract you anyway? Yes, a connection to the digital world, to the network. So instead of disabling Wi-Fi for example, why not do something with your …
It’s hard to quit something you love just like that. Cold turkey style is not always effective but it can be. Removing social media apps and never use them again has worked for some. For others, the apps are quickly reinstalled a few hours later. If you find it hard to stop using social …
We have 24 hours a day. All of us. You can be rich or poor, living in the US or in India, doesn’t matter. Time is reducing every second. Just now, another second was spent, and on it goes. Life is like an hourglass. Slowly but surely time is running out. A fact of …
Set Priorities So You Know Where to Place Your Energy Read More »
I’ve said (wrote) it often and will say (write) it again: reducing your screen time is not just about learning how to disable notifications. There needs to be a deep desire to reduce your screen time. A specific reason that pulls you away from your phone. Not just an action or activity, but a …
Life is Not a Rehearsal – Stop Living Like an Accident Read More »
Google is our friend. This statement can be debated. It certainly contains loads of information ready to be presented based on your chosen keywords. Google is good at displaying relevant content matching our keywords. There is this complex algorithm working in the background that tries to ensure quality truthful content when you look for …
Beware of Cyberchondria! Don’t Take All Google Results So Seriously Read More »
Phone addiction, social media addiction, screen addiction, tech addiction, compulsive behavior, screenager, smombie, nomophobia There are many names out there that describe excessive phone use which is impacting one’s life in detrimental ways. People sometimes ask: when do I use smartphones and social media too much? In the video I present you with 10 …
10 Questions Revealing if You Use Social Media & Phones Way Too Much Read More »
We are fast with installing new apps. We hear about this new flashy app that our peers use and of course we got to check it out. “If many people are using it, then there must be multiple benefits that app has to offer me as well!” While we can quickly experience any advantages …
Is That App You Want to Install Really Worth Your Time? Read More »
Push notifications like to surprise you. They can appear in 5 minutes, 15 minutes or half hour. You don’t know. That excitement, that feeling somehow can feel like “fun”. After all, it is a surprise. That notification can be anything or from anybody! Many of those notifications though are not important. It’s nice that …
Stop Anticipating Those Infamous Push Notifications Read More »
We don’t really think twice before installing an app. When one of our peers suggests a particular app, we don’t hesitate to install it. Fair play though, it’s super easy so there is really no friction whatsoever. It’s fast too. One fact that we don’t want to forget is, that every app has some …
It’s fascinating how our smartphones can program us. Many times when we use our phones, are we really “there”? Do we know what we’re doing? Are we actually aware of every action we take on that screen? When I speak for myself, I can say I wasn’t. I want to look what time it …
When you want to use your phone for a specific purpose, it’s hard to use your phone for just that one single purpose. Probably you go through this whole cycle of opening apps before locking your phone again. It wasn’t your intention of course. But you do it because well, you’re on your phone …
Make the Search Option Distraction-Free on Your iPhone Read More »
Because of the internet, we can present ourselves in a way that was never possible before. There was nowhere to hide before the advent of the internet. We only had our real selves, our offline selves. We shopped around real people. We congregated in parks and shopping malls around real people. We were intimate …
Stop Neglecting Your Real Self For Your Online Persona Read More »
Your iPhone loves to introduce ideas to you. “Why don’t you check Twitter again to see if you have new followers? ” “why don’t you check Whatsapp since who knows, maybe that cute boy/girl thought about you” “why don’t you check Ebay to see if someone sells that action figure from the Turtles that …
Some avid social media users are active users or passive users. Some are just “spying” on other people’s lives by looking people up or allowing the news feed to present a summary of the latest activities. Others are active by posting occasionally or a lot. The ones who post multiple times a day feel …
Actively Using Social Media? Post Just Once a Day Read More »
The internet is the wild west. Anything goes online. Leaving your child alone on the internet without any guidance and education, is like leaving your child in London, Tokyo or New York and leave him or her wander alone. The internet is like a car with the keys in the ignition. If you use …
Have the Tech Talk With Your Children (Constantly) Read More »
On the internet we (think) we are anonymous. The virtual world is not reality. There are no laws online. You can do anything you want and be anything you want. Although the internet is very appealing and is essentially the wild west, it is not going to forget. The internet will remember what you …
Beware of the Digital Footprint You Leave Behind Online Read More »
Not only adults complain about their children being on their smartphones so much. More children are complaining about the fact their parents are constantly on their devices as well. Many moments where children expect their parents’ attention are disrupted because of the smartphone. “daddy daddy look what I’ve made!” Sadly, the smartphone is often …
You hear about digital detoxes all the time. More retreats become popular that promote screen-free time to connect with thyself. In a different environment a digital detox may be easier, especially when you’re in vacation mode. When you’re in the midst of your own routines and habits that involve social media and your smartphone, …
When it comes to what you want to do, you must think clearly. If you want to invest time and attention into something ask yourself: Will this be important to me in 25 years? Will I be proud of this activity? Unfortunately many of us don’t think so clearly. Many of us live our …
Rearrange the Puzzle Pieces of Your Belief System Read More »
You’ve probably heard it many times: reading is good for you. Unfortunately this doesn’t mean we automatically do it. We know better but don’t really do better. I like to compare this to eating salads and veggies. We all know it’s healthy and that we should eat it. Do we though? Not everyone. We …
In life there is a lot going on. In your early years you are not really conscious of your mortality. When you’re a teenager and tweener you think you will live 500 years. The older you become though, the more you become conscious of your finite life. We start to ask ourselves: is this …
Who isn’t excited to go on a trip? To go hiking? To go to the zoo? The outdoors is important to embrace and is good for our mental health of course. If we didn’t know that yet, then the pandemic made sure we know now. When when take on an activity, there are multiple …
Planning an Event? For the Sake of Enjoying it or Posting About it? Read More »
Some people need a few tips to control their phone use, some people need to do a lot of introspection first in order to begin the process of limiting their screen time. Whether you call yourself a smartphone / social media addict or a compulsive user, step 6 of my formula is imperative which …
Why Self Development is Step 6 of my 6 Step Formula Read More »
When you open a social media app or login to your social media account, you’ll probably be confronted with the news feed. The news feed is mentioned multiple times in my blogs, and for a good reason. The news feed is a very smart feature that makes it hard to disconnect from the platform. …
Is Social Media Showing You What is Missing in Your Life? Read More »
In a previous blog, I wrote about how you don’t want to be on standby for someone you’ve just met. You want to operate from a place of confidence and self-esteem. Your life should not be put on hold so you can reply straight away when an IM message arrives. In this blog, I …
Don’t Allow Any Date to Tell You To Be on Standby Read More »
I will be honest, scrolling through the Facebook News Feed is not always a happy activity. Rarely I scroll, but when I do I’m painfully reminded by all the things I don’t have (yet). It’s normal. We compare all the time. Not just with other people, we also compare ourselves with ourselves. Our versions …
If you’re an avid social media user, you are probably aware of the “you” you are displaying on social media. This persona is carefully crafted so that each post evokes specific emotions when seen by others. We all love to post our highlight reels. We want to feel admired so of course we often …
When we meet someone who we like, we are inclined to be on constant standby. I get it, I’ve been there. You start pre-dating through text messages and WhatsApp has instantly become your favorite app. You can put a movie on or read a book, but you just think about that next reply! You …
Don’t Constantly Reply Fast to Someone You’ve Just Met Read More »
Those days where we interact with a handful of people in the offline world are long over. Now we are bombarded with online content from hundreds of people every day. On social media, we love to show others where we stand, what we believe in, and “how” we live our lives. Exchanging ideas with …
We have many ideas. There is a lot that we want in life. Sometimes we even dare to dream big. When we feel empowered, we think: how can I achieve what I want? What can I do to change my circumstances and mental conditioning? If you’re in that spot then you’re on the right …
Starting a Project is Hard! Prepare Your Environment and Phone Read More »
Tik Tok is making the news a lot lately. There is a lot of commotion about the app and some countries have already banned it. The app can be very addictive and it’s owned by Chinese company ByteDance. The USA may ban the app as well because of the above reasons, and especially due …
Use Digital Wellbeing Feature in the Tik Tok App Read More »
Instagram is becoming more popular than Facebook. At least the name Instagram is not as “dirty” as Facebook is, although Instagram is owned by Facebook. With dirty I mean to refer to the many times Facebook made the news (for the wrong reasons) and the advertising boycott that is currently going on. Instagram however …
Know How Much You Use Instagram With “Your Activity” Read More »
My 6 step formula helps people create a healthy relationship with their phone. It’s not just about using your phone less, but also about becoming digital and media literate. To become insightful regarding the detrimental effects of excessive phone and social media use. To understand why we are hooked on social media and why …
Step 1 of My 6 Step Formula To Beat Phone Addiction: Self-Awareness Read More »
“How didn’t you know?! I posted it on Facebook!” This sentence can make you feel guilty instantly for not having logged on to Facebook. You feel bad that you didn’t know and that you didn’t comment or at least acknowledged the news by liking it. But…why feeling guilty? Why let them think you are …
“How Didn’t You Know!? I Posted it on Facebook!” Read More »
As I wrote in an earlier blog about card games, step 6 of my 6 step formula to create a healthy relationship with your phone is “embrace life”. With this I mean to take on activities that make you forget your phone. Aside from card games, I love to play board games. I’ve always …
Board Games Make You Forget About Your Smartphone Read More »
When a friend tells you to meet up on a Saturday evening, you expect her to show up. When she doesn’t and she calls you something came up, you become disappointed. It’s normal. Then you agree again to meet up with her on a Saturday evening. But….she doesn’t show up. Again. “Yeah I’m so …
We want to feel good about ourselves. That’s one of the reasons we go on social media. Not that’s the best strategy to improve our state of mind, but we like to see and receive some form of validation. Validation makes us feel good about ourselves. Someone commented your hair looks great? That feels …
Don’t Wait For Comments, Be Your Own Biggest Fan Read More »
Earlier this week I wrote about being careful with reading and watching the news. I’ll elaborate a bit more. News is a broad term. There is international news, national news, sports, business, politics, entertainment, tech news, and so on. When you watch e.g. business or tech news because you’re interested in the topic, and …
Don’t Absorb the News so Much on a Daily Basis Part 2 Read More »
If you plan to keep using social media, at least make sure your news feed is not culpable for negative triggers. Your own space is sacred. Your very room in your house is sacred. You don’t allow anyone to enter your house so easily. You want to control who is allowed to request your …
Of my 6 step formula to create a healthy relationship with your phone, step 6 is “embrace life”. With this I mean to take on activities that make you forget your phone. A hobby that I love is playing card games. I always respected and admired the hobby of collecting and playing tangible games, …
Card Games Make You Forget About Your Smartphone Read More »
There is a lot happening in the world. This year COVID-19 made its introduction, defining 2020 till the very end no doubt. I was close to Amsterdam when the virus reached the Netherlands back in February. Since I live in Dublin, the original plan was to stay in Holland for 2 weeks only. Many …
You’ve probably heard of my 6 steps formula to combat screen addiction and improve digital wellness. If you’ve haven’t, know that step 2 is Insight. You want to be aware of the detrimental effects of excessive screen use. Know what companies like Facebook are doing to hook you. Why it is so hard to …
Can you abstain from tech? From your devices? From social media? Just the thought of being alone without your phone can make you anxious instantly. You feel naked when you realize your phone is not with you. In case you forgot your phone, you panic and the sympathetic nervous system is being activated. Ever …
Reward Yourself With a Quiet Peaceful No-Tech Hour Read More »
“Put your devices away!” Who hasn’t heard this advise about our phone use? We say it a lot, and yes anyone who claims you should put your device away is probably right. Our level of self-awareness is high enough to admit we use our phones a lot. But….where do we have to leave our …
Social media can be great, there is a reason why you use it. Not even a reason, I should say reasons. There is so much you can do on social media. Checking posts of influencers for example, that’s at least kind of fun right. Okay maybe not “fun” but it is somehow satisfying, that’s …
While Social Media Can be Good and Bad, it’s Not Neutral Read More »
What you see on social media is a world you think everyone is seeing. A reality that can be witnessed by many other social media users. But that’s not the case. What you see is unique only to you. Your world is a highly curated world that the platform’s algorithms have created just for …
Why Social Media Knows You Better Than Your Spouse Read More »
In an earlier blog, I wrote about using the browser version of an app on your laptop. Delete the app, and use the laptop browser version whenever you’re home for example. For some who don’t have immediate access to their laptop or are often out and about, this could be challenging. What you can …
Using Your Mobile Browser Instead of the App Creates Friction Read More »
Common advice to beat phone addiction is to delete your junk apps. Apps that have no value to offer other than entertainment or distraction. Entertainment apps may have funny content to offer no doubt, but that content is not helping you move forward. So when you say you want to get rid of such …
Deleting Apps Too Hard? Try Offloading Apps First Read More »
We use our smartphones everywhere. There is no room in the house that has seen us without our phone. It just doesn’t happen anymore. Our phones love to take charge. Doesn’t matter where you are. In the office, in the bar, in the toilet or in the waiting queue. It is time to show …
Phubbing is a term that is used more often lately. Sadly, most of us occasionally phub in our lives. Phubbing is a word combination, it combines the words phone and snubbing. Phubbing means you are engaging with your phone while you were initially engaging with another person. It’s considered “normal” behavior now because we …
What is Phubbing and Why You Should Stop at Once Read More »
