Digital Well-Being in The Age of COVID-19

It is natural to feel powerless and scared in the face of a pandemic, but you can use digital technology to regain control and give yourself a degree of autonomy over your life.

By Prakriti Poddar

The coronavirus pandemic has made social distancing the norm, and the majority of us are becoming increasingly dependent on digital technology to navigate our way through our daily lives.

While a digitally mediated daily life can keep you safe from the risk of infection, too much exposure to it can harm your mental health. There has been a lot of awareness raised about the impact of exposing oneself to negatively hyped social media and news. The more information you receive the more insufferable the pandemic becomes. We have seen people feel hopeless and helpless as a result of all the information they absorb, and unfortunately, seep into deeper mental health issues.

You must keep your digital activity healthy during the outbreak. Let us take a look at three evidence-based tips for a healthy digital diet during the outbreak:

Take control – It is natural to feel powerless and scared in the face of a pandemic, but you can use digital technology to regain control and give yourself a degree of autonomy over your life. This is critical as having control promotes emotional wellbeing. So, think about ways in which you can use digital technology to help you do it.

Nurture relationships – While social distancing is good for your physical health, the isolation is not good for your mental wellbeing. Use this opportunity to digitally connect with your old friends, family members or acquaintances that you somehow lost touch with. Help others as it can give your life more purpose and allay your anxieties.

Be smarter – Our wellbeing is also influenced by our competence – our ability to rise above challenges, take smart decisions, and experience a sense of achievement and degree of success. Use this opportunity to take online courses, learn new skills, and do things that engage you. Consider using digital technology to look after your body and mind during this period of confinement.

The columnist is Director – Poddar Wellness Ltd, MD Poddar Foundation. Views expressed are the author’s own.