The smallest change can have the biggest impact
What brings you joy?
We’ve asked thousands of people this question and here’s what students, professors, administrators and parents say:
…a fresh page in my notebook —Baltimore, Maryland USA
…my cat and my dog —Rye, New York USA
…visiting my parents each week —Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
…a smile from my grandson —Boston, Massachusetts, USA
What’s your answer?
It’s always amazing to see the commonalities and also what’s noticeably absent: the Internet, where we spend the lion’s share of our waking hours.
A lot of us are lacking joy - the key elements that support our well-being and success - because we are siloed behind screens, says the U.S. Surgeon General in two recent major reports on the epidemic of loneliness and the healing effects of social connection.
The report launched a national strategy to advance social connection including key educational recommendations such as “Develop a strategic plan for school connectedness and social skills with benchmark tracking.” Read the full report here.
In addition to this, researchers Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge have created a collaborative review of hundreds of studies seeking an answer to the cause of the rapid mental health decline among teens over the past 10 years. Their answer: smartphones and social media.
This is not just a North American story, it’s a global one.
The results are in: smartphones (and accompanying social media apps) impede learning, stunt relationships, and lessen belonging. Digital well-being must be a strategic priority for schools.
Here’s how we can help:
Getting Started with JOMO(campus)
We work together best in phases:
