Nearly everybody on this planet uses the internet, but nine times out of ten, most people will argue that internet use carries significant adverse effects on our overall health, pleading that abstinence and staying away from the online world is far more beneficial. In most cases, people will bring up the point that too much exposure to online media and content can lead to addiction, not to mention the harmful consequences of isolating yourself to a screen and disconnecting from reality.
However, once we dig deeper into the roots of the issue, it’s pretty clear that most of these problems stem from a lack of responsible use, internet etiquette, and digital literacy, causing online users to fall by the wayside and onto more dangerous forms of media. And while there’s substantial truth and evidence to back up the claims that the internet can lead to problems like breaches of privacy or destroying your self-image, it’s about time we recognize our accountability in the matter and learn how best to use it instead.
Making Everyday Responsibilities a Lot More Convenient
To put things into context, one universal truth that nobody can deny is the fact that incorporating the internet and its relevant technologies into our lives has made everyday responsibilities a lot more convenient and time-efficient. And whether that’s connecting with friends, finding a new recipe online, or meeting that abrupt deadline for a work project, even the most daunting of tasks don’t feel as impossible to accomplish with the appropriate online tools at your disposal.
For the most part, the only objective advantage of stepping away from the screen for a significant amount of time is giving your mind and body the chance to reset and introduce a change of pace to your daily schedule.
But once we start considering the productivity factor, you’d be hard-pressed to get anything done of relative urgency or importance by today’s standards because everything is already integrated into the digital landscape in more ways than one.
Quality Content Can Be Found Virtually Anywhere
Likewise, with almost anything and everything you can find at the click of a button, it’s no surprise why most digital users stray away from the fun, engaging, and helpful niche content, falling into the rabbit hole of unproductive media consumption. However, it also goes both ways and means that quality content can be found scattered everywhere, and the vast majority of them won’t cost you a single extra cent from your pockets apart from paying for fiber connection.
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Podcasts, Videos, And Informative Media
Firstly, you can find countless quality free content through platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and even social media platforms like Twitter, where creators are sharing useful information. In fact, plenty of podcasts and videos even explore more serious topics and offer substantial advice like mindfulness exercises, resolving a pornography addiction, or improving your financial situation. All that’s required on your part is a bit of digging and reading through the constructive feedback!
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Reading Ebooks And Listening To Album Releases
Secondly, you’ll also find numerous free Ebooks to read from aspiring authors among indie literature subcultures and won’t even have to worry about falling behind the latest album releases because the most popular songs can be found with one quick Google search. And if you lean more toward academic purposes, plenty of users share PDFs and audio lectures for you to reference in your studies.
When Does It Start Leaning Toward The Negative End?
Of course, it wouldn’t be a fair guide to traversing the information superhighway if we didn’t touch base with some of the negatives, specifically knowing when you’re steering away from helpful information and valuable content. Luckily enough, there are two very easy indicators that can highlight the effectiveness of your internet use, namely (1) monitoring the amount of time you spend on a screen and (2) overseeing your spending habits related to the online world.
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Try To Monitor Your Screen Time
In life, anything in excess is always a bad thing, so you want to achieve the same balance between your screen time and the time you spend away from the computer desk. Yes, the number of hours will vary depending on the lifestyle you lead and the type of work you do, but try your best to squeeze less than half of your active day into digital media consumption.
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When It Starts Eating Into Your Budget And Savings
Although not all subscription-based services and online products are inherently bad investments, you should definitely avoid making large regular purchases when surfing the internet. At the end of the day, even the most appealing digital investments like NFTs are being exposed as scams in some cases, so you’ll want to exercise some vigilance over your spending habits too.
If there’s one thing for sure, it’s that the internet is a haven for opportunities to run rampant and reach anyone in the world. So, instead of falling victim to some of its bad parts, always stay two steps ahead on your internet use, and you won’t ever have to worry about anything else.