10 Things To Strive For In The Digital Era

1. The ability to sit down with a book and just read…for twenty minutes (at the least. no kindles allowed…kidding, but does no one like a hardcopy anymore?)

2. Feeling relief rather than extreme anxiety when you accidentally leave your phone at home.

3. One day a week, breaking up with your technology (Instagram, Facebook, Emails, texting…all of the above will be there, ready and waiting, when you return). This is a tough one that most jobs and students find impossible, but lets not forget that there was once a time where all this didn’t exist. I’ve found that disconnecting here and there, or as much as possible, is extremely refreshing.

4. Consume less than 5 hours of television per day…did you know that’s how much the average American watches these days? Yikees…

5. Your social media persona is authentic. We all obviously tend to present ‘our best selves’, on social media, but you should definitely be all the better in person !

6. Network on the web but connect in person.

7. Think before you post. We belong to a Generation of Validation (fascinating article, do read). Rule of thumb: before posting, ask yourself if the number of likes you receive matters…if the answer is yes…you’re posting for the wrong reasons.

8. Your role models, for the most part, are tangible (professors, bosses, parents, siblings, friends…) rather than mediated personas and/or celebrities. Beyonces’ great, but my Mom is better.

9. Question everything you consume. Know that it’s okay to watch crappy television, read tacky magazines and/or follow superficial blogs—just also know that not all information is valid, most photos are retouched and the mediated world is not even close to the real world.

10. Don’t just do it because everyone else is doing it; but also, don’t judge for people who do things differently. For example, if tindering feels icky to you, just don’t and carry on with your life… 

Though I sound like a technology/media hater—that is clearly not the case…I consume and produce media of my own, all day long… But, I do think we can all relate to feed overflow and feeling a bit overwhelmed, at times. Media and living in the digital era should be something we embrace and reject (when necessary). These simple steps, though not always plausible, I continue to practice & hope you can find room for them in your hectic lives too.