digital wellness

What are Persuasive Technologies and How to Overcome Them

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Have you ever looked up from scrolling on your phone and realized an hour has gone by? That hour you set aside for homework unintentionally getting taken over by watching Tik Tok videos. This scenario might feel all too real to you, and for a lot of students at Ohio State.

We use technology to connect with others, complete our academics and work assignments, and stream, play, listen and scroll for hours a day.

With such a great need for technology in our day to day lives, it can very easily feel like we are not in control of our usage. Rather than us using technology as a tool to benefit our personal and professional goals, it can feel like technology is in control of us. If you have ever thought this, your suspicions are absolutely correct.

Tech companies have strategically designed their products with persuasive technologies to keep us on their platforms for longer.

Persuasive technology is broadly defined by Wikipedia as, “technology that is designed to change attitudes or behaviors of the users through persuasion and social influence, but not necessarily through coercion.”

This means that platforms like social media, streaming services and apps are built with persuasive technology specifically designed to change users’ behaviors to meet the platform’s goals. These unique triggers use persuasion to get us to spend more time clicking, scrolling and ultimately using their product.

To improve our relationship with technology and our overall digital wellness, we need to find balance with our usage. Increasing our awareness of persuasive technologies and how they work can help us to identify tools to set up helpful boundaries to combat their influence.

The good news is that a lot of these features can be adjusted or turned off completely. Below you will find some examples of persuasive technologies and how to overcome them:

  • Red Dot Notifications – that little red notification at the corner of your app is strategically designed to grab your attention. Studies show that the color red triggers our brain to think there is a sense of urgency, in these cases clicking into the app and seeing what the notification is.
    • In your app settings you can remove the notification badge. Once you remove the badge, little red dots will no longer be all over your screen reducing the temptation to click into apps.
  • Push notifications like vibrations, buzzing, flashing.
    • Intentionally set your notifications based on your needs. Go through your apps and determine if you really need to be receiving push notifications from all of them. The more you limit, the less tempted you will be to pick up your phone at every buzz or beep.
  • Likes/Comments – feeding into our need for connections and rewards, we are motivated by what others think about us
    • Likes and comments play into our natural social instincts. By turning off comments we can reduce our motivation for external gratification and pressures to hit streaks and receive record likes from our peers.
  • Infinite Scroll – the never-ending supply of content online that automatically loads to keep us engaged.
    • Set up timers to limit the amount of time you spend on your favorite apps. In your app settings on your phone you can manage timers and set limits that work better for your lifestyle.
    • Similarly, on streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, you can turn off autoplay. Autoplay is when the next episode automatically starts. If you find yourself stuck in front of the tv, turn autoplay off in our profile settings.

Spending a few minutes to tailor your devices and apps to your needs can help you gain back your attention, time, and overall make your devices work smarter for you.

If you are in need of support as it relates to your tech usage, check out the many helping resources on campus:

-Jordan Helcbergier, Wellness Coordinator

References

Persuasive Technology (humanetech.com)

Practicing Mindfulness Throughout the Day

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Mindfulness has become a buzz word in a lot of health and wellness circles. We see this idea of mindfulness online, in classrooms, on tv, in ads…it is basically everywhere. But what is ‘mindfulness’ exactly?

There are lots of ways to define mindfulness but what it comes down to is being fully present in the moment, aware of both your surroundings and how you are feeling.

Mindfulness is the opposite of multitasking, it is practicing focus and awareness throughout our days, and giving ourselves time to process our emotions and feelings. Practicing mindfulness on a regular basis can have many positive benefits to both our physical and mental health. This includes decreased depression, increased emotional regulation, reduced anxiety and stress, better memory and concentration, improved sleep, and more.

When we think of what mindfulness is, it can be easy to generalize this concept into thinking of yoga, meditation, mantras, or breathing exercises. And while all of these things can and do support the idea of living mindfully, they are not for everyone. Below you will find some simple changes that we can make in our daily routines to practice mindfulness throughout the day.

Morning Routine:

  • What is the first thing you do when you wake up? Do you immediately reach for your phone? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. Research shows that 1 in 4 Americans reach for their phone less than a minute after waking up. Instead give your body and brain a chance to wake up! Take this time for a mindful moment and check in with yourself – Do you feel well rested? Are you hungry or thirsty? How are you feeling emotionally about the day?

Bedtime Routine:

  • We’ve all heard about how blue light can impact our ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and get quality sleep. Replace screens and TV with gentle stretching and give our brain a chance to actually relax before heading to bed. Try reading a book or magazine rather than doomscrolling until you fall asleep with your phone in your hand.

Meals:

  • Meals are a time to connect with others and fuel our bodies. But with busy daily schedules, it can be easy to grab something processed and eat on the go. When planning out your weekly schedule, set aside time eat day to eat balanced meals. And take the time to enjoy the food as well as the company around you.
  • Practice intuitive eating – pay attention to what your body needs, are you hungry or full? Are you enjoying your meal? Really pay attention to the taste, textures, and smells of your food.

Communication:

  • A large part of mindfulness is being present in the moment. In our interactions throughout the day, try to practice active listening skills. Be fully present when listening to others and listen to understand rather than to respond.

Mindfulness While You Wait:

  • While you are waiting in the dining line, waiting for an exam to begin, or waiting at the bus stop, practice mindfulness. Rather than jumping on your phone for a quick distraction, instead take a few deep breaths and notice your surroundings. Give your brain a break from being in front of screen and connect with those around you.

Build in time for Joyful Movement:

  • Being mindful means intentionality in our actions. Building in time for movement in your day can increase productivity and attention, even a short walk around the building can make a difference!
  • When finding time for movement in your day remove the idea of ‘should.’ This places exercise and movement onto the list of chores rather than an activity that brings us joy. Instead listen to what your body needs and find the movement that feels right to you in that moment.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the ways you can build mindfulness into your day. But it is a good start! Challenge yourself to try one or two of the above strategies. Notice how you feel and what kinds of changes it brings about.

If you are looking for additional support in incorporating mindfulness into your routine, schedule an appointment with the Student Wellness Center’s Wellness Coaching team.

-Jordan Helcbergier, Wellness Coordinator

References

What are the benefits of mindfulness? (apa.org)

Mindfulness exercises – Mayo Clinic

Survey: 1 in 4 adults checks phone less than a minute after waking up – Study Finds

 

5 Tips for Fact Checking Health Content Online

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Technology is an amazing thing. 24/7/365, you have information available at the tips of your fingers. Which is helpful when trying to find information related to your health or the health of a loved one.

Whether you are searching on Google, YouTube, Reddit, TikTok or another social media platform, the challenge is to find a reliable source for the information you seek.

Billions of people use social media each day for news, information, to connect socially with others. And all of these users are contributing to the unimaginable amount of content being uploaded every minute.

Some of this content is valuable and helpful but the accessibility of the internet has created a platform for users to post information that is misleading or just not true. Social media gives everyone a voice to post whatever information they want, no expertise required.

Have you ever watched a TikTok and thought to yourself, “Is this statement/statistic/fact true?” You are not alone, and this critical thinking skill will help with fact checking the information you are consuming online. Read the below tips for finding reliable information online:

  1. Check the web address

Who owns the website or social media page and who is responsible for posting content? Read thoroughly to determine who the owner is and their credibility. In general, you can find trusted health content on both government (.gov) and university/college (.edu) websites. Non-profit groups (.org) can also provide reliable health information. But .org web addresses can be tricky because .org can be used by both for-profit and non-profit businesses.

  1. Determine the purpose

Determine what kind of account and post you are looking at, is this someone’s personal opinion, an advertisement, a news report? For websites, go to the “About Us” page and do some reading. This page will explain the purpose of the website, which should be able to provide education and awareness. If the purpose is to promote a product or service, the health information may not be reliable.

Social media influencers posting health advice are generally not a qualified professional, fact check their post against a credible source to get the full story.

  1. Assess the evidence

Just because something is viral or has a high number of likes, shares, and comments does not make it accurate or true. Websites and social media pages posting health facts or figures should provide solid evidence of that content. They might cite published, peer-reviewed articles or other sources to learn more information. If they don’t cross check the information with another reliable source.

  1. Assess the reviewer

When was this information reviewed last? Websites should state who reviewed the health information it presents; it will list the person’s medical credentials (such as MD or RN).

Does the social media post direct you back to where they found this information or what medical professional they are referencing? If not, cross check the information.

  1. Check the date

Websites with health content will list when this content was last updated or reviewed to ensure accuracy. Make sure this date is recent because health information needs to be current.

When finding information online, use your critical thinking skills to find reliable sources to help inform your health decisions. For more information, visit the National Institutes of Health – how to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet webpage.

 

-Jordan Helcbergier, Wellness Coordinator

Are You Scamming Me? How to Spot a Scam Email in Seconds

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We are connected all day every day. Through text, social media, and email we are constantly getting bombarded with information and communication. With all of these avenues to connect, there also comes more opportunities for scam attempts by someone looking to take advantage.

Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to determine if an email or text is a scam.

Digital Security Company, Aura, provides the quick following questions to ask to spot a scam communication in seconds. When looking at a suspicious email ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do you know the sender?
  • Is this an unsolicited email from someone claiming to work for an organization like the FBI or IRS?
  • Is the sender asking for sensitive information like personal details or financial information?
  • Is the subject link strange, with unusual punctuation and characters?
  • Does the sender’s email address and “from” name match? (You can hover over or click on their name to reveal their email address.)
  • Is the sender’s email from a suspicious domain name? (i.e. ebay-support.com)
  • Is the email asking you to click on a link, open a cloud storage document, or download a file?
  • Is the sender using urgent or threatening language to get you to act?
  • Is the entire email embedded on an image or iframe?
  • Are there any grammatical or spelling errors in the email?
  • Is the offer in the email too good to be true?

Taking a few seconds after receiving a suspicious email or text, can make a big difference.

If you do spot scam communication –

Practicing smart technology privacy and security can improve your personal digital wellness. For more support check out the Student Life Student Wellness Center’s Digital Wellness information page and the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation’s IT for Students page.

If you are the victim of a scam, contact Student Legal Services for free and/or low-cost legal support.

References:

How To Tell If An Email Is From a Scammer [With Examples] | Aura

-Jordan Helcbergier, Wellness Coordinator

Phubbing is an Uncool Norm: 3 Simple Strategies to be More Present with Others

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Picture this: you are sitting at dinner with your friends after a long day of classes, when all of a sudden you look up and everyone at the table is staring at their phones – not talking. Everyone is ignoring one another to consume whatever is on their device.  The digital wellness community refers to this phenomenon as phubbing.

Phubbing is defined by the Digital Wellness Institute as, “the practice of ignoring one’s companion(s), in order to pay attention to one’s phone or other mobile device.”

If you find yourself doing this frequently throughout the day, you are not alone. Studies show that 48% of people report phubbing others 2-3 times or more per day. And 56% indicate that they are phubbed 2-3 times or more per day.

Phubbing has a negative impact on our relationships and even our mental health, with phubbing causing feelings of exclusion and rejection. Phubbing causes us to have less meaningful conversations with others and those who phub come off as less polite and attentive.

While our phones are a great social tool to connect with others who are not physically nearby, technology is putting a divide in the face-to-face interactions we have with others. And we are normalizing it in our community.

To make a change for more meaningful relationships, conversations and overall interactions. Prioritize these three easy steps in your daily routine.

  1. Practice mindfulness. A lot of people assume mindfulness is just meditation, but it is so much more than that! We all have the opportunity to move through our day mindfully. This means paying attention and being fully present in the moment with ourselves and others aka not checking our phone in the middle of a conversation. Embrace all of your senses and really take notice of your surrounding environment: who is with you, what are you hearing, seeing, etc. what are your emotions in this moment?
  2. Set technology free boundaries with friends and family. When getting together with family and friends, vocalize that you would like this to be a technology free hang out. If necessary, put phones in another room to focus on spending quality time with one another.
  3. Call out phubbing when you see it and apologize when you do it. Tell your family and friends that you are making the conscious effort to be more present in your interactions. Call them out when they are on their phones and tell them to do the same to you! If you notice yourself phubbing, no need to be hard on yourself, apologize and do better moving forward.

Set this goal, enjoy the memories you are making rather than focusing on the instagrammable moments or what others are doing. Be more present in your interactions and celebrate the positive impacts it has on your relationships, conversations, and overall interactions.

If you feel like you need help separating yourself from your devices, seek help at one of the many support resources on campus. For mild or moderate concerns visit the Student Life Student Wellness Center’s Wellness Coaching program or for more severe concerns visit a team member at Counseling and Consultation Service.

References:

Digital Wellness Institute

-Jordan Helcbergier, Wellness Coordinator

You, Me, and Technology: How to Navigate the Uninvited 3rd Wheel in Our Relationships

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Technology has brought about amazing tools to connect and foster relationships with those who are not physically nearby. With so many new options for communication such as text messaging, email, social media and video calls, you have the opportunity to connect with people all over the world.

The advancement of technology has undoubtedly provided benefits to how we start and sustain our interpersonal relationships.

Technology is quickly becoming the norm in how a lot of our relationships begin. According to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, 1 in 5 relationships and 1 in 6 marriages begin online. With nearly 8,000 dating sites in the world, it is easy to see how this number will only continue to grow.

Friendships, romantic relationships, even how you interact with your family has shifted and changed because of the presence of technology. Our interactions now are vastly different than those even just 20 years ago.

With this change in interaction and communication, there must also be a change in how we approach our relationships. Technology plays a role and, unfortunately, for some, it can cause conflict and divide. The amount of social media use, how much is being shared online, and jealousy can all create problems within a relationship.

One issue technology can create is distance in relationships. Whether you are not having deep conversations face to face or are choosing to hide behind a text to express feelings, neither is beneficial in developing a relationship built on open communication and honesty.

By communicating expectations and setting clear boundaries, you can create a more supportive environment for your relationship to thrive. Some examples of topics to discuss and boundaries to potentially put in place:

  • Putting the devices away at mealtime.
  • Setting clear expectations for how public or private do you want to be online.
  • Exploring instances of jealousy – if you feel drawn to checking in on your partners social media and feel jealous of their interactions. Explore where your insecurities are and communicate your needs to your partner.
  • Leaving your phones in another room when going to bed
  • Allocating certain times throughout the day to be ‘phone-free time’ – phone free dates is also a great idea!
  • Don’t get out your phone from your pocket/backpack/bag as soon as you get to your destination. If it never leaves your bag there is less
  • temptation to look at it. Exception here – if you are letting someone know you arrived safely, but then put it away!

When you are sitting on your devices instead of interacting, you are not enjoying shared experiences which can help to foster and build relationships. To remedy this, find activities to enjoy together, i.e. instead of playing games on your devices while sitting in the same room, get out a board game and play together. This is just one example, there are lots of opportunities to enjoy a shared experience on campus. Visit the Student Activities website to view their events calendar and plan your tech-free date/hang out for spring semester!

Ohio State, including Student Life Counseling and Consultation Service, has relationship related resources.

-Jordan Helcbergier, Wellness Coordinator

Photo by Jo McCulty