Overcome Digital Stress & Smartphone Addiction

Technology can be a powerful ally, but as billions of dollars are being spent developing attention grabbing and habit forming technology, it has become all too easy for the devices and apps that were once built to serve us, to become our masters. In this first session, you will be learning how living in an Attention Economy has meant that the devices, apps and social media platforms we use have evolved to be strongly habit forming. Through experiential mindfulness practice, you will then start to develop awareness of the ways that your smartphone pulls for your attention.

In this session, we will be exploring the science of how our devices hijack our attention, and we will introduce a short structured mindfulness practice to help us take technology free breaks throughout the day. By learning to mindfully pause without checking your phone, you will begin to break the cycle of smartphone addiction.

In this session, we will continue to explore the theme of taking mindful pauses from our devices and look at some of the common experiences that come up when you start to do this. If you find it hard to take breaks without looking at your phone or other devices, then this session will provide you with the support to set clear intentions and respond to any difficulties that come up when you make the conscious choice to pause from technology.

Many of us are habitually drawn to pick up our devices as a result of technology cravings. These subtle or sometimes intense experiences may be accompanied by thoughts or urges to pick up our phones or other devices. In this session we are going to introduce a practice called urge surfing which will help us to become more aware of these cravings, the underlying forces that give rise to them, and offer practical approaches to ride out these cravings without autopiloting into distraction or numbing out with our devices.

Following on from the previous session, we will be continuing to explore technology cravings and the mindful practice of urge surfing. By learning to develop awareness of the triggers that give rise to cravings you will develop the capability to respond more effectively to urges to pick up your phone and other devices. In particular we will look at some common experiences that trigger cravings such as stressful experiences, boredom and loneliness.

In this session, we will be exploring the stress or anxiety that we can feel when we are unable to use our phones or when we consciously choose to disconnect. In particular we will be looking at the primary cause of this stress which is linked to something called FOMO, the fear of missing out. We will explore the neuroscience of FOMO and discover how this modern fear is really an ancient fear related to the tribal behaviour of our distant ancestors.

Following on from yesterday’s session, we will be exploring FOMO on an experiential level, using mindful reflection to help us shift into a wiser relationship with the social technology tools that we have at our disposal. We will also be introducing a mindful self-compassion practice called soothing touch which can help to soften feelings of social stress and anxiety, and help us to be kinder and gentler with ourselves rather than feeling like we have to constantly check our devices.

In this session, we will gain an understanding of how the feelings of unworthiness that many people experience, are often as a result of implicitly comparing our own lives to other peoples idealised and perfectly Instagrammed realities. To help us respond to this modern day challenge, we will be exploring some practical strategies to overcome patterns of self-judging. We will get to know our inner critic and encourage a more nourishing relationship with him or her.

Today, we will continue to explore the theme of how comparing ourselves to others on social media can trigger our inner critic. And, as an antidote to the inner critic, we will be diving into an extended self-compassion meditation. By learning how to develop a kinder and more compassionate relationship with ourselves, we can begin to balance out and soften the voice of the inner judge and learn to accept ourselves for who we are.

In our final session together, we will be looking at some practical strategies to help us to develop a more nourishing relationship with technology. We will be looking at how to manage notifications to help us minimise how often we are drawn to pick up our devices. Building on the practices of mindful pausing, urge surfing, and self-compassion we will prepare for a 24 hour digital detox.