╭────────────────────────────────»»❀❀❀««────────────────────────────────╮
Welcome back everyone,
This week, we had the opportunity to discuss a new topic: technology habits. In our day and age, technology is a part of almost everything we do, specifically in the form of mobile technology. Although mobile technology has its benefits, like waking someone up in the morning or teaching a new learner how to cook, to remain beneficial – as opposed to harmful – technology, like most things, must be used in moderation.
According to my iPhone Screen Time data, I use Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, and Maps most frequently within my daily life. Although certain tools, such as group chats on Snapchat or focus-based playlists on Spotify, occasionally help along my academic pursuits, these apps – I will admit – are primarily used for leisure and social interaction.
To stay organized and productive, I heavily rely on:
- The OneNote Desktop App for absolutely ALL my university content, from readings to notes;
- The Microsoft Sticky Notes Desktop App for all my class-by-class to-do lists, due dates, and reminders;
- The Notes App on my iPhone for saving upcoming information or dates;
- And the Clock App on my iPhone for getting me out of bed for my morning classes.
Out of these resources, I will absolutely RAVE about the OneNote Desktop App. It is how I take notes and organize content for all my university classes. Through the app, you can import PDF files, PowerPoint slides, or screenshots and highlight desired content – in any colour you want 😉. As well, there is an amazing ruler function that keeps these highlights straight and clean looking! You can create a notebook for each class and add dividers for any week or chapter you would like, and you can close any notebooks you are no longer using (which will be saved in the app if you wish to open them later). Although it took me a little while to get used to, I absolutely fell in love with OneNote because it keeps me organized and allows me to have all my work in one place…#notsponsored it is just great!
A current tech-related distraction I am facing is the habit of mindlessly scrolling. Whether that be scrolling on my Instagram feed or my TikTok for-you page, I lose track of time without even knowing it. This habit wastes tons of time within my day that I could be using on other things. For example, I would rather scroll through TikTok for two hours than finish a reading I have for class.
To create a better balance between my academic and personal screen time, I have been wanting to A.) Limit my time on these apps using the App Limits function or B.) Delete these apps altogether. I have tried, at many times throughout my life, to just delete my social media altogether. However, this introduced a new challenge… FOMO. Life milestones, event invitations, or updates from my friends and family are something I feel as though I would be missing out on if I deleted my social media. Specifically, Snapchat. My sports teams, friends, and family make plans through the group chat function on this app, making it a staple in my daily life. As of right now, the feeling of FOMO is something I have not been able to overcome… and as a result I am still an avid social media user.
If anyone has any good advice on FOMO, please let me know in the comments… I am in need of it haha.
Thank you all so much for reading!
Have an amazing week,
Emma
╰────────────────────────────────»»❀❀❀««────────────────────────────────╯