Participate 4.1.3 Digital Health

According to this video I have pretty horrible laptop ergonomics.  My biggest fault is either sitting on the floor (like I'm doing right now) so that my neck is curved downwards or sitting on the couch where I'm also pretty slumped over.  Over the past year (prior to beginning this training) I have not really used the laptop regularly for extended periods of time.  Now, working on this training and hoping to begin teaching online for GaVS I realize that I need to get situated in a comfortable and healthy position before working.  For that reason I made it a goal on my calendar to sit at the kitchen table everyday that I work on TOOL rather than on the floor or the couch and to sit up straight with a 90 degree angle at my knees and elbows.  I also added in a few "no phone" days.,

I exercise very regularly anyways; at least 30 minutes a day.  My workouts involve anything from jogging, walking through the neighborhood with my family, and lifting weights in the garage with my husband after the kids have gone to bed but I do have 2 regularly scheduled workouts that I included on my calendar; I never miss yoga on Wednesday nights and I also never miss TRX at the gym on Friday mornings.

One of my biggest goals in my personal life is to work on being present.  I once heard a quote (sorry not sure who to give credit to) but it went basically like this:
"Those who are depressed live in the past, those who are anxious live in the future, and those who are content live in the present."  It really resonated with me.  I also have two small children (3 and 8 months).  People are always saying how quickly it flies by and I do not want to be so distracted by my devices that I miss spending valuable time with my kids.  Don't get me wrong, I love taking pictures of my kids on my phone and I don't really know how parents go grocery shopping without an iPhone to occupy the kids.  That being said, I have removed most social media from my phone so that I don't just spend mindless minutes wasting time; when I use social media I aim to be more intentional.  I also closely monitor time that my 3 year old spends on "her" iPad.

• What is the most proactive means of ensuring the most balanced blend of technology and well-being?

In so many ways the key to life is balance.  Definitely putting forth the effort to create a healthy workspace is important as well as making sure that physical activity is a regular part of daily/weekly life.

• What can students and teachers do to make sure they get the most from technology while simultaneously safeguarding good health?

Most students need limitations on how many hours they are permitted to use technology and watch tv.  For online students, that's a little bit more difficult to enforce due to the fact that they will inherently be spending more time online than brick and mortar students.  Effort should definitely be put into getting involved in hobbies that do not involve technology such as sports, music, and/or art.  Being conscious and aware is a great place to start being mindful of a balanced life with technology and physical health and well-being.