Tech-Life Balance: Recent Episodes
Taino Bendz
Ever felt ruled by technology? Odds are you have, just like me. In this podcast, we discuss the in and outs of smartphones, digital technology and related topics such as social media, constant connectivity, and the impact this is having on us. Sometimes it's just me sharing my thoughts, and often guests from different fields.
The mission is to be open and inspirational as we share knowledge and ideas about how we can create a more balanced way of using our technology.
March 1st-2nd sundown to sundown marks Global Day of Unplugging 2024. In their own words "here to answer the US Surgeon General's call to end loneliness and eager to help you up your game with your tech habits", GDU has been around for many years, supporting people all around the world to reflect on their tech use.
In this episode, co-founder and Director of Partnerships, Claudia Erickson shares insights into some of the work the Unplug Collaborative are doing, and how changed tech habits can improve our lives.
Make sure to sign up and do something cool, fun and unplugged!
https://www.globaldayofunplugging.org/
Philly Powell is doing amazing work in the wellbeing sector with her "Wellbeing Tick". In this episode I had the honour of being a guest on her Wellbeing Provocateur series. We discuss technology and life high and low as we circle around the need to raise our consciousness around how we use tech and consume information.
Learn more about Philly and her inspiring work here
https://www.wellbeingtick.co.nz/
Taino chats with Nini Fritz about her journey, digital detoxing, happiness, human connection, and how we can create more meaningful connections both in the online and offline world. Oh, and pancakes!
Links to Nini's work:
https://www.the-work-happiness-project.com/
https://www.eyeconnectgame.com/
Listen in as I share some thoughts on my recent book release, and fall into a spontaneous rant on life, technology, happiness and more.
For more information about my work, visit:
www.tainobendz.com
In this episode, I have a chat with Clo, the founder of This Too Shall Grow. She is a certified digital wellness coach who helps people build better relationships with their devices. She used to be a UX researcher and designer who shares an interesting perspective on how digital platforms' mechanisms can be detrimental to our mental health and how we can foster a more balanced digital life.
Read more about Clo and her work at www.thistooshallgrow.com
"Hi, I’m your Screentime Genie! I want to make your screentime wishes come true." The Screentime Genie can be found at https://screentime.stanford.edu/ and is designed among others by Steven Crane. He is a research scholar and consultant based at Stanford University. Steven studies human behavior (especially screen time), biotechnological ethics, social connectedness, public health, and human flourishing. In this episode we talk about the Screentime Genie and Steven shares some of his insights into Tech-Life Balance. He also tells us about the app Sunny, a digital guide that suggests simple, science-based actions to help you build healthier real-world social connections.
For more information and to download Sunny
https://www.gosunny.org/
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sunny-powering-human-kindness/id1619942879
Listen in on this great panel discussion leading up to Phone Free Day, October 6th.
The conversation covered a range of topics with everything from road safety, to student wellbeing, to Covid-implications on digital wellbeing.
You can take on a Phone Free challenge anytime at www.phonefreeday.org!
The LOG OFF Movement was started by Emma Lembke after she started experiencing negative effects on her mental health from social media. Together with her co-leaders and teenage leaders around the world, LOG OFF is working hard to help lowering social media's impact on mental health while teaching teenage users and their parents about how to navigate the vast inner -workings of life on social media.
Listen in to hear Emma share her inspiring story about why she started LOG OFF, the impact that they are having, and get some advice for parents and teenagers.
Fernanda Maio is a life and digital wellbeing coach working with employees in organizations, and individuals. She supports them in understanding and redefining their relationship with technology; creating more choices; make people think for themselves; and improving their motivation, focus, and wellbeing.
In this episode, Fernanda shares stories from her work during the past years and some advice on how we can improve the balance of our technology use, and raises the important question: "Are you investing your time where you want to?"
HalfTheStory began when founder, Larissa May, was juggling two lives as a student at Vanderbilt University and a fashion blogger/entrepreneur, covering NYFW for highly respected media outlets. Behind the perfectly curated instagram feed was 17 hour workdays, debilitating anxiety, and sleep deprivation. Through industry conversations and discussions with peers she quickly realized that she was living in a world where everyone was craving a platform to share , which led to the beginning of Half The Story.
In this episode, Larissa shares her unique perspective on social media, mental health, and how we can work towards increased Tech-Life Balance (and harmony!)
Madeleine McIntosh is a very experienced business coach who has started digging into digital wellbeing during the last couple of years. She has been involved in Phone Free Day, she is conducting research, and she is also a Learning Facilitator for The NeuroLeadership Institute. In this episode, she shares her unique perspective on digital wellbeing and how it looks different for everyone.
In this episode I am joined by Andrew Flach, founding Director of Hatherleigh Press and Hatherleigh Foundation. We discuss digital technology from the perspective of resilience and how the tech can both challenge us, but also help us through hard times.
Most of us have heard about smartphone addiction or mental health challenges connected to for example social media. Many of us have also experienced effects ourselves even though we might not be aware of them. In this short Q&A, Taino Bendz shared his thoughts on why this is something important for all of us.
You have probably heard about dopamine and how digital technology taps into the way our brains are wired. Learn more about it in this 10-minute overview!
This is part 2 in a Q&A series with Taino Bendz.
Sundown March 5th to sundown March 6th marks National Day of Unplugging 2022. This inspiring initiative that has been around for over a decade raises awareness and supports people to reflect on, and change their technology habits. Visit www.nationaldayofunplugging.com for creative and fun ideas on how to unplug. In this episode, Taino Bendz gives 5 ideas for unplugging and shares his thoughts on why this is important right now.
A short Q&A where Taino Bendz discusses what digital wellbeing is and why it is important.
In this episode I talk to Roger and James who have organised screen free activities as part of their work with Students Against Dangerous Driving in New Zealand. We had a great chat about technology in general and they share some stories from their work. Enjoy!
TJ is a Psychological Wellbeing Consultant, The Director of Mental Health and Wellbeing at Whitecalm, The Wellbeing Company and the Co-Founder of ME. His mission is to guide people to understand how they can enhance their psychological experience and he does so in a range of exciting and innovative ways. In this chat TJ shares his background and some of his insights into how we can develop a healthier relationship with technology.
After suffering from burnout in her job as an Instagram influencer and content creator, Georgie decided to retrain as a Consciously Digital coach and investigate the effects technology was having on her brain. She hasn't looked back and it's now her mission to help others reclaim their focus and creativity. By learning to make sure technology is helping us improve our lives, rather than distracting us from them. Tune in to hear her reflections!
"After receiving a damning screen-time report, Alice Webb-Liddall gave up on social media for two weeks and discovered more than just a few more hours in her day." This is the intro to an article Alice wrote reflecting on how social media has been affecting her, and how a changed use is making her life better in a subtle but noticeable way. In this episode we discuss the effects that social media has on a lot of people, and how we can use our smartphone and apps to our benefit.
MyPauze founder Stephanie is on a mission to help people build healthy digital habits. Her patented signal blocking device pouches gives you a digital paus to increase your presence and focus on what is around you. It all started by Stephanie questioning her own screentime and how her devices took attention and focus from the important things in life like relaxation, reflection, and time with friends and family. Hear her talk about her experiences and her solution to destructive phone usage, phone conflicts, and screen anxiety.
There is a new type of conflict that most parents today know far too well: the screentime war. How much, at what age, what device, for what.. the decisions are many and difficult. Teodora Pavkovic guides the people she works with through this and many other parts of digital wellbeing. She works with families but also schools, companies and brands. Connect with her at www.teopcoaching.com!
"OMG I am SO booooored!!". But what if that is a good thing? Out of boredom comes ideas, creativity, and much more.
Anya Pechko is specializing in digital & social media addiction and social anxiety. She helps us disconnect and gain some of your time back and to deepen our relationships by helping us build the discipline to put the phone down and evolve to the version of ourselves that we want to be.
"Almost everyone does it. Presidents and everyday citizens, most people you know and probably you as well. Kids and adults on the way to work and school. Waiting for a bus, at the toilet, or in the middle of a meal. We look down at a screen and scroll like zombies" - extract from Scroll zombies by Sven Rollenhagen.
In this episode I got the chance to speak to Sven, who has worked with addiction care since 1986. Sven started with drug addiction support but now works increasingly with addiction to digital technology such as video games and social media. Hear his insights in this episode.
Wait. So people pay money to get their phones locked away? Hector Hughes and Ben Elliot run Unplugged, and are putting digital detox cabins around busy cities, starting with London. They literally lock their guests´ phones away with a padlock, and give it back at the end of the stay.
In this episode, Hector shares his journey, and we discuss why people are seeking out a refuge with Unplugged.
In this trailer I tell you about my first phone, a blue Nokia 3210. I give a brief background about my interest in the topic, and what the podcast is about. You guessed it. Smartphones.