BC's Digital Wellness Challenge
Seems like a tall order, convincing college students to put down their phones and get up from their computers. But that’s not the only objective of the Boston College Digital Wellness Challenge, according to organizers: It’s to get students to pause and think about how much time and attention they spend on digital technology, and consider the quality of their interaction with it.
Sponsored by BC’s Center for Student Wellness, the 30-day challenge encourages students to pursue three major objectives: limit screen time, be intentional with technology, and set boundaries with social media.
A downloadable digital wellness calendar on the center's website offers strategies for each day of the challenge, such as spending at least an hour in a technology-free activity; communicating more with phone calls or video chats than through text or social media; following profiles that encourage or inspire, rather than cause angst; deleting the least favorite app from your phone; writing down intentions for why and how you want to be online, and keeping these at your desk.
There’s also the “20-20-20” rule—for every 20 minutes you look at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for a full 20 seconds—and a social media “stopping cue,” such as looking only at the first 10 stories or posts at any one time.
The center also will make available digital wellness boxes, where students can temporarily store their phones while they are studying or enjoying a meal or other activities with friends.
Jeannine Kremer (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
“The idea behind all of this challenge is to raise awareness and reset our relationship with social media and our devices,” said center director Jeannine Kremer, who cites research showing that individuals who spend less time on social media report having higher levels of satisfaction with their lives and a greater connectedness to others.
“We do see students looking to take breaks from social media, devices, and so on, and we thought this would be a great chance to help them create better habits that will increase focus and concentration, decrease stress, and improve mental wellness,” said Kremer, adding that BC administrators, faculty, and staff also are invited to participate in the challenge.
For more information about the Digital Wellness Challenge, contact the center at bwell@bc.edu or 617-552-9900, or visit the center's website.