Are you seeking a happier life in this tech world? Here’s how to start. I’ve started a YouTube channel for Tech Happy Life, and this is my introductory vlog. Yes, I get the irony (hypocrisy?) of using YouTube, Psychology Today, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. as a medium to try to help people to unplug more…
What’s up with today’s kids — Generation Z? I recently was interviewed by Tara Parker-Pope of the the New York Times for a story she wrote titled, “Are Today’s Teenagers Smarter and Better Than We Think?” Unfortunately for me, I didn’t end up getting cited in her article. Ah, my brush with 15-minutes of…
Screens aren’t all that bad… When we talk about how screens can improve our happiness, it is important to remember that monitoring our screen use is still important as it has consequences. In my previous blog, I brought up the fundamental problem with our screens. In summary, our overuse of screens can interfere with…
Our happiness is taking a serious hit due to our use of technology We love our screens, and they certainly offer many benefits. But there is a fundamental problem with screens. A tween girl recently asked me whether I wished that we didn’t have technology. No, I’m NOT anti-tech (as I blog this…yeah, I…
wolf alice tells all: The magic of “simpler” times, playing and goofing off Wolf Alice’s “Bros” is a song I stumbled upon about a year ago. I am a huge fan of alternative music and it’s often hard for me to keep up with the latest alternative hits, but Wolf Alice’s “Bros” stands out…
The ultimate gift idea: An experience Although I’ve been blogging about the hooks of tech for a bit, I want to do a little pivot. I have some last-minute gift advice just in time for the holidays! When thinking of gifts to give, often it is better to give the gift of experience over…
PSA: Technology Addiction, This Is Your Brain On Screens If you are old enough, you might remember the old public service commercial about a frying egg representing “your brain on drugs.” I doubt that people actually avoided drugs based upon that commercial, but it did get our attention! What about your brain on smartphones?…
It’s the itch you feel to check your phone and the relief you experience once you do We all know what it feels like to be tethered to technology these days. It’s not just our kids — it’s the rest of us as well. Probably one of the biggest hooks is the smartphone. As…
The seductive pull of screens that you might not know about Blame it on supernormal stimuli In my previous blogs, I describe the role of classical conditioning in the pull of technology. There is another, perhaps even more, influential way in which we get drawn into using technology. There is another, perhaps even…
We are conditioned to check our phones, even if we don’t know it Why do smartphones and other technologies have such a pull on us? We all feel it nowadays. We clutch our smartphones as if they were a treasure we can’t lose. If you have watched The Lord of the Rings, you know…