Zero Genie

Most people recognize the toll that their digital devices can take on their psychological well-being.

It only takes a few minutes of scrolling through social media to start believing that everyone else is healthier, wealthier, and happier than you are.

This can wreak havoc on your mental health. Studies have even linked depression directly to Facebook envy.

Social media envy, combined with the relationship, health, and sleep difficulties that accompany excessive social media scrolling has caused technology to often be shunned by people who say, “Our electronics are ruining our mental health.”

But is it really technology that is ruining our mental health? Or is it how we choose to use it that determines whether it is detrimental or not?

There are actually many ways you can use your digital devices to build mental strength. Using your screen time wisely can help you crush your goals, improve your health, and create a better life.

Here are three ways your digital devices can help you build mental muscle:

1. Use Tech Tools That Develop Mental Muscle

If you want to practice positive thinking or even learn meditation exercises, install apps or look for online classes that will help you meet your self-development goals.

Simple Habit, Calm, and Headspace are a few examples of apps for meditation and practicing mindfulness.

You can even talk to a therapist from your smartphone. Betterhelp and Talkspace allow you to speak to a licensed therapist any time you want.

If you want to boost positivity in your life, Happify can give you methods to increase your happiness. This self-guided app bases itself on positive psychology science. It aims to help you address the problems in your life, such as family disputes or depression.

These are just a few of the many tools that you can have at your fingertips any time of day or night if you use choose to use your digital devices to help you develop mental strength.

2. Use Social Media to Form Real Connections

Research shows loneliness can be more damaging to your health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. And social media has ironically had the effect of isolating people and making loneliness more widespread than it was before the digital age.

So don’t just mindlessly scroll through your social feeds or like posts that will further your career. Make sure to actually interact with people you enjoy. Find like-minded people, leave nice comments, and post your own content.

Really get to know the people you connect with on social media. These connections can help you feel good about your social media use while also helping you develop relationships that are good for your mental health.

Remember that social media should never be a substitute for real-life connections. Use it as a tool to help enhance your social life, not replace in-person meetings.

3. Follow People Who Inspire You

Friend or follow people who inspire you to become a better person. Any account that doesn’t offer positive information that you can apply in your own life is not worth your time.

So make sure that you are filling your feed with the type of people who are posting educational information, inspirational tips, or motivational messages.

And quit looking at accounts that aren’t helpful to you. Any information or images that cause you to feel worse about yourself don’t warrant your attention.

Mute, unfollow, or delete accounts that don’t add to your life. Don’t be shy about blocking or muting people. It’s your feed, take charge of its content.

Imagine opening up social media every day to see posts that encourage you to be your best every day? That could be instrumental in helping you develop the mindset you need to become your strongest self.

Be Proactive About Your Screen Time

It only takes one or two unhealthy habits to hold you back. Installing all the best apps in the world won’t help you build mental strength if your social media feeds are filled with people who want to fight about politics or complain about the world.

Identify the ways your digital devices might be taking away from your mental strength. Then, establish some healthier strategies.

Whether you put a time limit on an app, stop sleeping with your phone in your room, or decide to leave the house a few times a week without your phone, experiment with strategies that can help ensure that your technology is improving your well-being and building your mental muscles.