We are living in a world saturated with screens and a constant barrage of digital notifications. Many of us struggle to tame our tech habits so I’m talking today with the incredible Dr Kristy Goodwin on how to avoid digital burnout.
Dr Kristy Goodwin is one of Australia's leading digital wellbeing and productivity experts. She is a renowned neuro-productivity speaker, author, and award winning researcher. Through a variety of resources, Dr Kristy shares practical brain-based hacks to tame tech habits and the latest evidence-based strategies to decode the neurobiology of peak performance in the technological era.
With the onslaught of digital distractions in the workplace and our personal lives, science reveals that the tech load is beginning to impact our health and wellbeing. In this episode, Dr Kristy shares some fantastic tips to put into your day to make your world more productive and less tech heavy.
We talk about how a complete digital detox is unrealistic in our tech-reliant world and how Dr Kristy’s approach is to establish daily, weekly and monthly habits that align with your neurobiology and help you thrive in a digital world.
Dr Kristy shares some practical strategies to help create digital parameters in your life, and how you can successfully bring your household along with you in the technical shift.
This episode is filled with pragmatic, science based tips to help make the shift toward a more productive life and to avoid digital burnout. I know you’re going to get so much out of this insightful conversation.
Topics discussed:
[2:30]: Many people are tethering on the precipice of digital burnout with the onslaught of notifications. The increased digital load is unsustainable.
[3:50]: A digital detox is unrealistic. Dr Kristy is more interested in decoding the neurobiology of peak performance to understand how we can thrive in a digital world.
[4:40]: Our brains are biologically designed to seek for information but in this digital age, information is constantly being thrown at us. Our brains aren’t designed to deal with the onslaught.
[5:50]: We need to be intentional towards digital disconnection to give our brains time to go into the default mode of thinking. It’s the mind-wandering state where creative solutions drop in.
[8:00]: Dr Kristy recommends establishing daily 5-10 minute micro breaks to work in alignment with how your brain and body operates. Just 40 seconds in nature and closing your eyes for 10 seconds reduces cortisol levels.
[10:00]: Many people are more sedentary than they used to be and aren’t getting the peak performance pit stops they need.
[11:20]: Mezo breaks are 2 hours a week where we digitally decompress and intentionally go offline. Physically activity is even better.
[12:40]: Macro breaks are having at least 1-2 days unplugged monthly or every quarter. Try not to bookend your day with your phone. If you scroll first thing in the morning, you activate the limbic system so carve out the first 10 minutes and have a 60 minute curfew before you go to sleep.
[16:00]: Blue light exposure reduces the restorative sleep cycle. The smaller the screen, the higher the blue light.
[18:00]: Dr Kristy provides digital wellbeing boxes to her clients including an alarm clock so they don’t have to have their phones in their room. If you have to have it, make sure your phone is on airplane mode and put your phone somewhere you can’t see it.
[20:10]: We often don’t realise the impact that just seeing our device has on us. Just seeing your phone reduces your cognitive function by 10%.
[22:00]: We have lost the whitespace because our phones go everywhere with us, even to the toilet.
[23:25]: Many parents grapple with screentime struggle. You have to establish your digital guardrails to determine the parameters of your tech use in the home.
[24:50]: Some families have lockable charging boxes to store all devices away at night time. Agree on what are the no go tech times and spaces.
[25:50]: When you share facts and science and be a good role model, others are more likely to copy those behaviours.
[26:25]: Where to find Dr Kristy
Links & Resources.
Connect with Dr Kristy Goodwin:
-
Website: https://drkristygoodwin.com/
-
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkristygoodwin
-
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkristy/
Connect with Rebecca:
Check out my 5 Part Video series about how to really plan a live virtual event here.
- Website: https://www.rebeccasaunders.com/
- Instagram: @therebeccasaunders
Thank you for listening!
If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot and share your key takeaway on Instagram Stories and tag me @therebeccasaunders
Click here to read the transcript
About the Show:
The Rebecca Saunders Show is your place to discover how to build resilience, craft confidence and have a huge impact on the world. This podcast is for female business owners wanting the skills and knowledge they need to show up and stand out in a noisy, digital world.
TUNE IN EVERY TUESDAY FOR:
🎙 Interviews with inspiring business leaders
🎙 Impactful, honest and real solo episodes
🎙 Game-changing video success strategies
🎙 Confidence & Resilience Building Coversations
Subscribe to get your weekly dose of motivation and advice.
Have you subscribed to my podcast yet?
If not, let's make it happen. I'm sharing valuable tools, resources and conversations with smart people every week and I'd hate for you to miss an episode!
Oh, and if you'd really like to make my day I'd LOVE for you to leave me a review over on iTunes too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they also make me so happy to read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. You're amazing! Thank you!
