Digital Wellness 101: Taking Control of Your Life Online

Most people use all the advantages that modern technologies offer. Technology is constantly changing and evolving, allowing us to witness incredible advances in security, safety, transportation, business, architecture, education, medicine, healthcare, communications, etc.

Technology is the answer to the problems facing the modern world these days, but it always comes with some risks. While you have a lot of freedom to learn, connect with others, and find affordable entertainment online, you are also a target for cybercriminals.

With that in mind, let’s look at some of the ways you can take control of your online life.

Leading a digital life can leave certain consequences on a person

While the internet made the world more connected than ever before, it has also made people feel under pressure, depressed, stressed, anxious, fatigued, and simply overwhelmed by constantly dealing with loads of information.

Whether you’re studying, working, just checking your device, browsing websites, or spending time on social media, you’re either experiencing pressure from being constantly connected or dealing with other risks, such as cybersecurity threats. Thankfully, there are certain things you can do to take control of your life online and usher in a new era of digital wellness for yourself.

Social media and you

While social media can do so many great things for you, it can also negatively impact your life, mood, and wellbeing. It can become as addictive as alcohol or tobacco.

Even though your favorite social media platforms allow you to connect with your peers and express your thoughts on various subjects, they can also be mentally challenging, exhausting, even depressing.

Too much social media can cause various mood disorders, including anxiety, stress, and depression. It can cause loneliness and feelings of low self-worth, even self-loathing. Fortunately, you can reduce compulsive behaviors and negative emotions associated with social media use by taking control of your social media life online:

• Set clear goals and intentions on what you want from social media.
• Limit the time you spend online each day.
• If someone or something makes you feel bad about yourself, eliminate it from your online life.
• Don’t believe everything you read on social media and ask yourself if the stories you read there can make your life better in any way.
• Instead of judging someone online, try to find the morale of the other person’s life choices.
• Don’t compete or compare yourself to others because social media isn’t a competition; it’s just entertainment.

Try to shift your online focus on the things that you find interesting and that make you feel happy and good about yourself instead of absorbing all the negative aspects of everything around you.

Online dating and you

Online dating websites took the world by storm, gathering billions of people from every corner of the planet. While these sites and apps can help people find serious relationships, friends, and everything in between, they can also put them at risk in terms of privacy and safety.

Online dating scams are on the rise, and hackers are constantly coming up with innovative ways to get their hands on your personal information and financial details.

Online dating can endanger your safety, expose you to fraud, put you at risk of ransomware or photo or video blackmail, phishing attacks, and identity theft, among many other things.

If you’re looking for a date online, keep the following things in mind:

• Avoid oversharing your personal information online.
• Do some research on the common red flags in online dating.
• Check your date on social media and Google before you meet in person.
• Meet in public spaces only and let everyone know where you’re going.
• Only use strong passwords and create a different username and password for your online accounts.

Learn how to protect yourself from cyber threats

There are countless forms of cyber threats on the internet, and they are constantly evolving just as the internet is. However, there is also an array of things you can do to avoid these threats, such as:

• Do not reveal too much information about yourself. For instance, you might enjoy posting about your life on social media. However, there are certain things that you should keep private. Never share your location in real time as it could allow vicious individuals to take advantage of this information.
• Always use antivirus software and make sure your device is up to date with the latest safety and security updates. After all, vulnerabilities could allow attackers to compromise your device, steal data, or infect you with malware.
• Protect your IP address by using a VPN or a proxy. While proxies can offer a certain level of protection online, VPNs are more effective when it comes to hiding your IP and masking your physical location. An Atlas VPN app is an excellent option for adding another layer of protection to your online traffic and keeping your browsing activities to yourself.

All it takes is a bit of planning and some simple tools to stay safe online, so don’t neglect your cybersecurity.

Conclusion

It isn’t that hard to stay safe online, but it does require a certain amount of knowledge about how the internet works and the proper cybersecurity protocols. If you stick to these tips and do some research on your own on how to keep your data and identity safe online, you won’t have to worry about your digital wellness ever again.