Finding Peace in the Digital World

Imagine how you would feel if you couldn’t access your smartphone or any digital device for a whole day. If you feel uneasy or even anxious, you might already be experiencing harm to your mental well-being brought by the digital world. While the digital world has become a part of the fabric of our daily lives due to its conveniences – from acting as a one-click gateway to a worldwide reservoir of information to speedily sharing details of our social lives – it also drives unmindful consumption. Research has shown the detrimental effects of frequent usage of smart devices on our mental health and wellbeing. In Lecture 7, we’ll dive into this topic and discuss how to find and maintain inner peace in the digital world.

Social media is one of the most popular innovations in the modern digital world, with 4.88 billion people or nearly 60% of the global population being social media users as of July 2023. While it has benefits such as expediting instant communication and information sharing, it may also erode self-image and self-esteem, especially in children and adolescents.

If you have difficulty focusing on your task or the person in front of you, as you can’t control your temptation to check the notifications on your smartphone or scroll your social media feeds, you’re not alone. The constant disruptions to our concentration in the digital world have drastically reduced people’s attention span, which can harm our mental health. Join us in class and learn more about the art of concentration amid all the distractions.