“Technology Technology everywhere”. We start our morning by closing the alarm set in our phone, checking the notifications, and ending the day by the same. Unknowingly we are negligent in tackling technology which may turn technology into our greatest foe. We take our mobile phones to our bathroom, share sensitive information publicly, and sometimes behave in a very naive way. In history, it is said that “to defeat a warrior we need to know him completely and make him physically weak before going to the battlefield, and that’s what technology is doing with us. That is why we need to understand and be aware, as technology has become an inevitable part of our lives. So now we are going to know some ways by which our privacy and health will be preserved.
1. Always Prefer Having Multifactor Authentication
This means we can have an extra level of protection or security added to our device. Apart from having a password that can be easily hacked nowadays, we can have fingerprint recognition or face recognition added. This will make it difficult for the hackers. We should regularly change the password. We should try to avoid keeping personal photos or data on our phones and instead use secondary storage devices like a pen drive and a notepad for storing pins as sometimes remaining old school is beneficial. Always connect your mobile number to bank accounts, important email addresses, etc.
2. Always Keep Less And Be Alert
Lock the screen when you are temporarily away and don’t keep an app with sensitive information open for a long time. If you want to continue, take breaks and continue if possible. Installing antivirus and malware protection is always a good idea. Be aware of the free security service given by the operating system you use. Get rid of the data that is no longer required or move it to a secondary storage device. Be vigilant while sharing screens and always close the pop-ups and notifications from important apps. Don’t access personal information or do online banking or stock trading on public Wi-Fi.
3. Always Dispose Data On Time And Securely
We should always make sure that all the data is cleared from devices like computers, mobile phones, hard drives, etc. before we dispose of or give it to somebody. We can use available deleting software. If you have any private information, delete it as soon as you don’t need it.
4. Always Foster Tech Awareness In Children
We should always ask them never to respond to strangers online. We should set strict rules for them while they are online. We should monitor what they do. We should talk openly about what they will encounter on the internet and what they should not do.
5. Always Master Post-Adversity Resilience
There are many stories of how people with the help of technology curb the innocents. Anybody in today’s world can be the victim of cyber fraud so it’s important to know what to do if it happens. There are different reporting authorities in different countries we should have knowledge about them. Never hesitate to talk to concerned authorities when you feel scared and confused.
6. Always Try To Have A Nice Sleep
Technology is very critical and useful to us, but it has some serious effects on our minds. To recover from the damage done we need proper sleep. Using mobile causes melatonin-serotonin imbalance and hyperactivates the thought process through sensory overstimulation which leads to overthinking and may cause stress and anxiety. The blue light emitted from screens disturbs our sleep and causes insomnia. So, avoid screens for an hour of sleep. Wash your eyes and relax. Try to have at least a seven-hour sleep.
7. Always Be Prepared To Handle Phone Anxiety
We all are engrossed in our phones the whole day and see a lot of things that may upset us. We see content that we don’t like but still cannot unsee it. So, we should open up at those times. Call up friends you like to talk to or go for a walk. Using mobile phones regularly can cause Chronic smartphone stress. This affects our thinking capacity. We become dull. We become attention seekers. We may experience mood swings. For that reason, avoid using mobile phones, read books, talk with others, and learn skills to improve yourself. Practice yoga.
8. Always Try To Avoid Short Video Content
Watching reels and shorts have a very bad impact on our mind which we are not aware of. It damages our critical thinking. We cannot concentrate and fail to socialise which gives us more stress. We should watch videos of a duration above two minutes. We should not skip ads. It gives a break to the mind and eyes too. We should not toggle between videos.
9. Always Keep Yourself Techno-Safe And Healthy
We sit all day engaging ourselves on various devices snacking unhealthy, hurting our fingers playing games all day, hurting our neck and eyes, etc. For that, we can follow the 20-20-20 rule i.e., take a break from devices after every twenty minutes, and look at something which is twenty feet away for at least twenty seconds. Always wash your eyes with cold water in the morning and before sleeping. You can rotate your eyes clockwise and anticlockwise. Practice each movement five times. Eat green vegetables. Play outdoor games whenever you get a chance.
10. Always Train Children To Face Technology
Children suffer from depression and anxiety due to overuse of mobile phones. Excessive technology usage among children can potentially lead to various mental health challenges, such as reduced attention span, diminished creativity, delays in language and social development, and a heightened risk of technology addiction. A research study involving teenagers revealed a correlation between extended digital media consumption and an elevated likelihood of experiencing symptoms associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children below three years should not be given access to phones except for video-calling. For children, watching television is a better option. Content reaching them should be filtered. Foods better for the eyes and brain should be given to them.
