Created on: 12 Feb 2021 | Last modified: 19 Apr 2023
Top Practical Tips from Digital Skills Education which use features already available on your digital devices.
1. Use Do not disturb on your phone. This feature stops yor phone from alterting you of notifications. This is a good feature to use when you want to focus on something like writing a report.
Try it out: How to turn on Do Not Disturb on iPhone / Android Phones
2. Use “Focus Assist” on your laptop. There is a button at the bottom right of the screen to turn this on. As soon as you finish working, a summary of notifications and alerts appears on your screen - so you won’t miss anything important.
Try it out: Turn on Focus Assist in Windows
3. Tame your notifications. Both iPhones and Android phones have features that let your apps have less distracting or disturbing notifications.
Try it out: Quiet notifications on iPhone / Gentle notifications on Android
4. Have your phone text people back when driving. A really important time when you won’t want to be distracted is when you’re driving. You can have your iPhone act as a personal assistant that texts people back automatically. This feature also works on some Android phones.
Try it out: Do Not Disturb While Driving on iPhone / Driving mode on Android phones
Further learning
FutureLearn free Digital Wellbeing short course.
Further reading
Birkbeck Institutional Research Online The new nowhere land? A research and practice agenda for the "always on" Culture.
Online intimacy and well-being in the digital age.
Further watching
https://www.ted.com/talks/jon_ronson_when_online_shaming_goes_too_far?language=en
Tools and tips
Google offers a host of wellbeing tools, including personalised ideas based on a short survey.
JISC’s Technology and tools for online learning provides guidance, resources and case studies around the use of technologies to support online courses and distance learning programmes.
Apps to help you stay social during lockdown on the BBC website.
Speak Up & Stay Safe(r): A Guide to Protecting Yourself From Online Harassment.