Digital resilience: How to stay calm in your everyday digital life
Editors: Anna Cristina Heidler Palanco and Isabel Hempel
What is digital resilience?
Digital resilience helps you stay mentally stable and capable of acting—despite WhatsApp stress, social media pressure, and constant information overload. In this article, you will learn what digital resilience means, why it is indispensable in the online world, and how you can use digital tools to strengthen your well-being in practical ways.
Digital resilience is like an inner shield on the internet. It makes you more relaxed about online stress and helps you maintain balance even when faced with digital challenges.
A small example: Imagine your phone constantly vibrating: messages, news, likes, comments. Digital resilience means that you no longer let this upset you so easily. You consciously switch off and recognize which information is really relevant to you.
Why is digital resilience so important today?
We are connected almost constantly, and this can quickly lead to overload: stress caused by numerous chats, inappropriate comments, or pressure on social media can be burdensome and even lead to sleep problems or listlessness.
A common scenario: You're working from home and still receiving chat messages or emails from colleagues in the evening. Without digital resilience, it's difficult to switch off, but with a little practice, you can still make the most of your free time after work.
Self-efficacy means you are in control! It's about making your own decisions about when and how you use media.
Practical tip: Choose your online times carefully. Perhaps you could read the news specifically in the morning and evening, rather than constantly throughout the day. And don't be afraid to reduce push notifications or "unfollow" channels if they stress you out.
Digital tools: Helpers for greater resilience
Digital tools help you stay on top of things, recognize stressful patterns, and create routines for taking breaks. These tools make it much easier to stay on track.
Examples of digital tools and how they can help:
- Mindfulness apps such as the Mindance app: Short meditations and audio exercises help you relax in just a few minutes, reduce stress, and reorganize your thoughts.
- Time management apps: Remind you to take a break after 45 minutes of work—this helps you keep screen time under control.
- News apps with filter functions: These provide you with reliable news in a compact format and reduce the flood of fake news.
- Consciously set push notifications: Only allow truly important messages through; you can restrict everything else. Turn off sounds and push notifications, which means less distraction and more focus for you.
- Combining digital and analog routines: Perhaps a pedometer app will motivate you to go out again in the evening.
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To the data protection settings "Five tips for your everyday life – Strengthening digital resilience in practical terms
- Plan time slots without media: For example, go for a walk at lunchtime—leave your cell phone off.
- Use app statistics: Most smartphones show how much screen time you actually have. This provides honest moments of realization.
- Share your experiences: Many of your friends are in a similar situation, and it is easier to take digital breaks together.
- Set clear boundaries: After work, leave your work phone off. That's healthy self-care!
- Look for positive things: Often , an inspiring podcast or a good book is much more helpful than negative news feeds.
Current research and recommendations
Experts such as Kramp & Weiland (2022) have long considered digital resilience to be a key skill. Reflective behavior protects against stress, especially when using social networks. Their advice: "Regular breaks and conscious reflection help you stay healthy." Numerous studies also show that those who remain digitally mindful are less stressed and can face challenges with greater confidence.
FAQ: How can I strengthen my digital resilience with digital tools?
What is digital resilience?
Digital resilience means that you remain mentally strong despite social media, information overload, and technological stress, and deal with digital challenges more calmly.
How can you strengthen digital resilience?
It's best to build regular breaks from the screen into your daily routine, use mindfulness or time management apps, set yourself conscious media times, and learn to be offline consciously from time to time.
Can digital tools really help promote digital resilience?
Yes! Apps for mindfulness, time management, or news filtering make it easier to recognize stress early on, stick to routines, and be more mindful when using media.
How can you recognize digital stress?
Typical signs include restlessness, sleep problems, irritability, or the feeling that you can no longer switch off without your smartphone.
Are there simple measures to increase digital resilience?
Just 30 minutes less cell phone time per day, limiting push notifications, or taking a daily walk without media can help strengthen digital resilience.
Who can help when you can't manage on your own?
Webinars on digital detox and workshops such as those offered by pme Familienservice discussions with friends and family, offer support and practical tips.
