Helping Young People Thrive in a Digital World

Technology permeates nearly every part of our lives. We use it to work and learn online, stay connected with friends and family, watch videos, play games, and explore new ideas with just a few taps. Digital tools can be powerful and useful, but like any resource, they work best when used in moderation and with intention.

Digital wellness is not a form of abstinence. It is the practice of leveraging tools productively and thoughtfully to achieve goals while preserving the activities that support human well-being, connection and expression.

In The Stars Are Always There, Jess must leave her phone behind and spend two months on the ranch without a digital connection. What happens during that summer changes her life, largely because she was able to notice warnings in nature that she would have otherwise missed while scrolling.

What Is Digital Wellness?

Digital wellness means defining boundaries between why, when and how we reach for tech, and when we trust ourselves to apply our unique human talents to completing tasks and solving problems. It requires being aware of how our online activities affect our mood, attention, sleep, and daily lives.

Just as we think about healthy eating or staying active, it's important to think about how we use technology. Are we creating or simply consuming? Are digital tools helping us learn and solve problems, or replacing opportunities to practice skills and think for ourselves?

Signs of Healthy Digital Habits

Some ideas for becoming more digitally healthy:

• Maintain a balance between screen time and other interests.

• Intentionally leave your phone behind while enjoying nature or connecting with others.

• Schedule screen-free time each day, even during a workday.

• Read books for pleasure.

• Talk with friends and family face-to-face when possible.

• Limit technology use to learning, working, and connecting.

Digital wellness looks different for everyone, and should be tailored to individual needs.

Questions Worth Asking

Sometimes the best way to think about digital wellness is through reflection:

• What role does technology play in my daily life?

• When does screen time make me feel energized, and when does it leave me feeling depleted?

• How can I know when I've spent too much time online?

• How can technology help me learn and solve problems?

• How can I reclaim some of my meaningful work from technology?

• What does a healthy balance between online and offline activities look like?

There are no "right" answers to these questions, but they encourage us to think about our choices and how those choices affect ourselves and others.

Finding Your Voice Online

The internet gives young people incredible opportunities to share ideas, create content, and connect with people who care about the same issues they do. We've all seen how online content can sometimes spread misinformation, create misunderstandings, or fuel conflict.

Digital wellness includes learning how to use that voice with care:

• Think before posting.

• Verify information before sharing it.

• Treat others with kindness and respect.

• Use technology to learn, share, and contribute.

When used thoughtfully, digital spaces can become places for having meaningful conversations and achieving positive change.

Final Thoughts

Technology is an important part of modern life, but it shouldn't be the dominant part. Digital wellness enables us to make mindful choices about how we spend our precious time, how we allocate our attention, and prioritize our health, relationships, creativity, and wellbeing. By finding a healthy balance between our digital and offline worlds, we can use technology as a productivity and innovation tool without losing sight of what makes us human.