Three Moving Targets: Insights from Harvard’s Digital Wellness Lab
On the JOMO(cast), digital mindfulness expert Christina Crook welcomes tech founders, creators, and thought leaders to share how they embrace the joy of missing out to flourish in a rapidly changing world. We’ve just kicked off a new "mini-season," speaking with some of the brightest minds about campus mental health.
Why this? Why now?
In this series, we explore the landscape of students, smartphones and social media, asking global experts to explain the hard truths about the mental health decline among youth on campuses worldwide and inspire us with the evidence-based strategies that will turn the tide.
This week, JOMO(campus) founder Christina Crook is joined by Dr. Michael Rich, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Founder of the Digital Wellness Lab - an academic research centre focused on media and technology as a powerful environmental health influence.
Dr. Rich guides Christina through the significant hurdles modern students encounter and offers valuable insights on effectively harnessing technology.
Additionally, Dr. Rich discusses his current initiatives at the Digital Wellness Lab and his reasons for maintaining optimism about the Lab's mission to adapt swiftly in response to three dynamic factors: human dynamics, the evolving media landscape, and shifts in behaviour.
Conversation Highlights:
“Social media can be an instrument for peace.”
“Tech are power tools. They do not transmit intimacy.”
“I remind the youth I work with: “You can’t make out with a smartphone.””
“Using tech to self-soothe and distract arrests student development.”
“For youth, FOBLO (fear of being left out) is worse than FOMO (fear of missing out).”
Dr. Michael Rich’s Digital Wellness Tips:
Upgrade by 1: DM instead of comment. Text instead of DM. Phone instead of text. Meet in person instead of over FaceTime. The more direct the communication, the more intimate it is.
Observe a Digital Sabbath: 1 day a week, unplugged
Use the 4 Digital Wellness Filters: Is it Mindful, Healthy, Constructive, or Kind?
Ask yourself: Does this technology/tool serve the task?
