In my recent book Hivemind: The New Science of Tribalism in Our Divided World, I reviewed all of the research I could get my hands on that evaluated the impact of recent social technologies like smartphones and social media on mental health. I also did a fair bit of traveling around the country, interviewing various experts for their insights. In sharp contrast to the doomsday pronouncements you read in the popular press, the relationship between smartphones and mental health is complex and not without positives. Here are seven tips for using your smartphone productively:
1. BE ACTIVE, NOT PASSIVE, IN YOUR USE OF SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY Research is clear – if you’re going to use social media, do not lurk. Like, tweet, share, comment. Engage in a personal way. Offer a sincere, tailored congratulations on good news rather than clicking the little wow face.
2. SEEK CONNECTION – WITHIN AND OUTSIDE YOUR IN-GROUPS Some of social media’s strongest benefits reside in its ability to connect you to other people with similar interests and activities. Exchange information and traditions with people who share your ethnic heritage, use Meetup.com to join others obsessed with role-playing games, find long-lost friends from grade school. But be wary of forming connections only with people you already agree with – use social media to diversify your viewpoints and news sources and to read the stories of people with a variety of experiences and backgrounds.
3. DON’T ENGAGE IN “SOCIAL SNACKING” Just like too many Cheez-Its can ruin your appetite for a more nourishing dinner, using social media to take the edge off your social needs can be unhealthy if it means you don’t then have more meaningful interactions with your loved ones. Don’t let a heart on Instagram substitute for a lunch date.
4. CREATE A HOUSEHOLD “MEDIA ECOLOGY” If you have children, work with them to develop healthy habits. Are screens banned from the dinner table for adults and children alike? How much Netflix are family members allowed to stream before it is time for physical activity?
5. USE YOUR PRIVACY FILTERS
Most social networks have options for filtering which of your friends and followers see your information. You don’t want potential employers to see you tipsy on the dance floor or your close friend to see she wasn’t invited to your bachelorette party – so go ahead and use those filters. But you should probably know that there is no true privacy anymore. When you’re posting something very private, consider for a moment how you’d feel if the whole world could see it, and reconsider.
6. REMEMBER THERE ARE PEOPLE BEHIND THOSE AVATARS Outrageous things have always happened in the world. Outrageous things are happening right now – in our country, in your school system, on your street. But moral outrage spreads further and faster than calm dialogue and ramps up rather than down the temperature on our currently polarized state. Take a breath, engage rationally, and speak to people’s values.
7. PRACTICE MODERATION
If you are peering at your handheld device the better part of your waking life, that means that you are not dedicating a healthy amount of hours to sleeping, cooking, spending time in green spaces, playing with your children, laughing with friends, exercising, sharing intimate moments with your significant other, or being productive.
Use your smartphone to enhance your life – not to eclipse it.
