The New Year is when we often spend time examining the year past: what worked, what didn’t work, what might work better. Many choose to make resolutions around their technology use to improve their mental health. While placing limits on less productive uses of time is helpful, there are ways you can use your technology and with purpose to improve your mental health.
Here are some ideas for how to use technology to improve your mental health:
- Meditation. You can enhance your meditation practice through apps that offer pre-recorded meditations targeted to your area of focus. For the self-directed, nature or water sounds or white noise might be helpful for creating an environment to focus. Meditation can be so helpful for improving mental health, reducing stress and improving mindfulness overall. We recommend: Calm.
- Productivity apps. Find your mind is wandering with all the things you have to do? Using your phone to store important reminders and tasks can free you up to focus on other things. The stress of trying to keep everything straight in your head can be overwhelming. Give yourself a break and automate where you can. We recommend: Todoist.
- Music. Listening to music can be therapeutic, can improve mood and overall satisfaction. Finding time to be joyful and appreciate the art of music can be a great way to slow down when life feels too fast-paced. We recommend: Youtube Music for playlists like Happy, Shiny Pick-Me-Ups.
- Your phone’s camera. You wouldn’t necessarily think it, but photography is a great way to practice mindfulness. It keeps you in the moment, appreciating the subject of your photography, noticing the light and the features you wish to capture. It forces you to be present. Photography also helps you document special memories to look back on when times are tough. We recommend: Snapseed.
- Online counselling. You don’t have to go to a therapist’s office to maintain your mental health. You can do it with the push of a button on your phone and experience the convenience of video counselling online. Book your free first session with Wellin5 here and be matched with your ideal therapist.
Setting firm boundaries around the extent to which you let technology interrupt your life is important, but it’s equally important to recognize the opportunities offered by technology to improve your mental health. Technology is a tool and it can be so helpful if used in the right way. What New Year’s resolutions have you set this year?
