In this article, we’ll be exploring three facets of modern living that most impact our health: unchecked screen time, the unique health challenges posed by our modern lifestyle, and relationships in the digital age.

Build a More Balanced Life with Digital Wellness

The American Optometric Association found that over 104 million American adults spend over seven hours in front of screens per day, leading to $151 billion in health, wellness, and productivity costs in 2023. These figures encompass eye strain, sleep disruptions, mental health costs, and more.

To build a healthier relationship with screens and maximize their plus sides while mitigating the drawbacks, we urge constructing a more balanced relationship with devices. A few major topics to help you get started include mindful social media usage, digital detoxing, and screen time management.

Mindful Social Media Usage

Social media warps our view of reality, causing a fear of missing out (FOMO), unrealistic body standards that can drastically impact body image, and comparison anxiety. Fight these by limiting screen time and curating social media apps to prioritize positive content. Lastly, actively ask yourself whether the content you consume is making you feel better or worse.

Digital Detoxing

Let’s not forget that devices are meant to enhance your life and not become your life. To remedy burnout, impaired sleep, and negative mental health caused by constant connectivity, schedule stretches of time where you can disconnect and detox. Start by eating meals without your phone, taking short walks without it, or visiting nature to mentally reset and refresh.

Screen Time Management

Too much screen time can harm your eyesight, posture, sleep, and more. If you find yourself mindlessly scrolling often, consider limiting your screen time. Use apps or in-app tools that limit your usage, establish no-screen zones, and take breaks every 15-20 minutes. Try making bedtime and dinnertime screenless so you can rekindle relationships while minimizing adverse screen effects.

Taking Care of Your Health in the 21st Century

Our technologically-enabled lifestyles have fundamentally changed how we live and work. Convenience and efficiency have skyrocketed, but so have new health problems that didn’t affect previous generations. From sedentary lifestyles, fast food, and a growing awareness of mental health, it’s up to us as individuals to monitor and address these new obstacles in our lives.

To learn more about how these issues affect you and how to effectively mitigate them, explore some practical strategies you can start using today.

Combating Sedentary Lifestyles

Studies have found that sedentary lifestyles due to commutes and long hours in front of a desk increase the risk of cancer, cardiovascular conditions, metabolic disorders, and all-cause mortality. For work that involves long hours of sitting, try a standing desk or taking breaks to walk around. Posture is vital too – ensure your screen is at eye level and that your back is straight while sitting to minimize back problems.

Nutrition in the Age of Fast Food

Fast food and processed meals are quick but packed with imbalance, leading to poor diets and health issues like obesity. Small, consistent changes in your eating habits can improve your overall health – meal plan when possible, stay hydrated, and buy fresh foods like organic produce and meats rather than prepackaged or fast food.

Managing Stress & Mental Health

Studies have found that lack of exercise and media overload in modern lifestyles increases stress as well as the chances of developing depression or other mental disorders. Take care of your mental health by instituting strict boundaries between work and home to create work-life balance, make sure you get 7-9 hours of sleep each night, and take breaks to meditate or do deep breathing exercises that can relieve stress.

Improving Relationships in the Digital Age

Instant messaging, social media, and video communication have expanded our ability to connect, but paradoxically limit our ability to form and maintain meaningful relationships. Superficial digital interaction simply doesn’t satisfy our innate human need to interact with others in real life, leading to feelings of isolation, worsening social skills, and a decline in empathy.

We suggest making a few important changes to the way you use technology to engage with others in your life – explore a few life-changing strategies to try below.

• Balancing Digital & Face-to-Face Interactions: Set aside time for in-person meetings with loved ones while enforcing a no-screen policy for social gatherings. Strive for deeper, more personal conversations during online conversations rather than exchanging memes or other low-effort communications.
• Engage with Empathy: Practice mindfulness with your online interactions by reminding yourself that everyone you talk to online is a real person with their own feelings, hopes, dreams, fears, and aspirations just like you.
• Get Involved with Group Activities: Expand your social circle by seeking out communal activities like sports, book clubs, library events, or gardening initiatives. The activity isn’t what’s important – what really matters is that you’re engaging with others in real life while doing something you enjoy.

Final Thoughts

Information overload, sedentary lifestyles, and increasingly superficial relationships are just a few issues created by modern culture. The key to solving these and thriving lies in conscious choices and balance. By implementing digital detox strategies, fostering meaningful connections both online and offline, and prioritizing both physical activity and nutrition, we can mitigate the negative impacts of modern living while making the most of what it has to offer.

Photo Credit

Photo is from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Charlie Fletcher

Charlie Fletcher is a freelance writer from the lovely “city of trees”- Boise, Idaho. Her love of writing pairs with her passion for social activism and search for the truth. When not writing she spends her time doodling and embroidering. And yes, she does love all kinds of potatoes!

It’s a tricky balance. On the one hand, technology has lots of benefits. Children can use it to learn quickly, remain social outside of school hours, and access from the palm of their hand information that not so long ago could only be found at the library.

And yet technology has its dark side as well. In this article, we take a look at how limiting your children’s screen time can be good for their physical and mental health.

Bad For Their Brains

Covid-19 produced a radical uptick in smartphone usage. Perhaps due to anxiety or an increased feeling of urgency around remaining in contact with loved ones, people have had a difficult time keeping cell phones out of their hands since spring of 2020.

The average adult now checks their phone once every ten minutes. Teenagers, spend seven hours a day on their phones.

Doing almost anything for seven hours a day isn’t good, and researchers have already identified a variety of issues resulting from the average teen’s addiction to their phone.

High levels of screen time are strongly associated with:

Increased Anxiety

This issue has been particularly pronounced since the pandemic when a practice known as “doom scrolling” became common. Doom scrolling occurs when someone habitually scans the internet looking for bad news. In teenagers, it is associated with high levels of anxiety.

Bad Sleep Habits

Excessive phone use has also been shown to disrupt sleep patterns. Teenagers with phone addiction report disrupted sleep.

Fear of Missing Out

Teenagers with FOMO is nothing new. For decades teens at home have been wondering what they are missing, what their friends are doing, etc. Well. Now they know. Social media gives children around the clock access to pictures and videos of what their classmates are doing at all hours of the day. While Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc have made it easier for kids to stay in touch—particularly during the lockdown phases of the pandemic—the cost for some teens can be quite high. Kids with high levels of screen time and social media use often worry that they are being left out.

Bad For Their Bodies

Excessive technology use is also bad for teenagers’ bodies. In the 1970s only five percent of children were considered obese. That number has swelled to 20%. One can’t lay all of the blame at Apple and Facebook’s feet, but there is certainly an association between high levels of technology use and obesity.

It’s a relatively simple equation. Teenagers that spend most of their day with their phone in their hands, or parked in front of a computer are not using that time for exercise, or even physical activity of any kind.

Experts recommend substituting one hour of screen time each day for an hour of exercise instead. This, coupled with other healthy lifestyle adjustments, like diet and better sleep can help fight back against teen obesity and all of the problems it creates.

There’s No Magic Number

It’s important to understand that there is no magic number that means the difference between healthy technological use, and a bad habit. For example, some studies suggest that two hours is a good goal to shoot for.

It might be. But consider the broader context of this equation. The majority of high schools now have students on tablets or other mobile technology devices.

For seven hours straight they are typing notes, watching educational videos, and taking tests. All from a screen.

But that’s good screen time. That’s OK.

Sure. Like it or not there is nothing to be done about tech in schools and it even comes with its own host of benefits. Fewer books, easier learning, access to school-related communication. What parents really need to concern themselves with is recreational screen time. Social media, silly videos, etc.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to grasp how much of that their kids are getting. Say, for example, that a high school student is at school for seven hours every day. Five of them, are in class and using their devices appropriately.

But, they also have lunch, study hall, and ten-minute passing periods. This means it’s not inconceivable for them to have had two hours of screen time before they even get home.

If they come home and are allowed an additional two hours, they’ve already doubled the recommended daily allotment. Add in whatever time they spend doing homework, and that show your family likes to watch together on Netflix, and it’s very easy for a teen to spend almost all of their waking time parked in front of screens.

Technology has become so ingrained in day-to-day activities that limits alone are not enough to correct the problem.

A Better Solution

Limiting the number of hours teens spend on their phones is a good start. However, parents will likely find better results by limiting the way their teens use their phones. By setting specific timers for social media use, or YouTube videos, parents can monitor and reduce their children’s exposure to the types of content that are strongly associated with high levels of anxiety and depression.

Many popular phones, including iPhones feature screen time analytics pages that make it easy for parents to see how and when their kids are using their phones. Additionally, there are a wide variety of applications available that allow parents to set timers, site blockers, and other restrictions that guide how their children use technology.

Photo Credits

Play Image from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

There’s no question that we’re living in a society enamored with social media. Between likes, shares, and comments, it can feel hard to keep up with such a social society, especially as things move at such a rapid pace.

But, social media impacts everyone. From the current generation that never knew life without iPhones, to Millennials who were there at the start, and even the Baby Boomers, social media is undoubtedly a part of your life in some way.

With that in mind, let’s look at how this social media era impacts our aging generations differently, and how you can use it effectively, no matter how “old” it makes you feel.

The First Social Media Generation

Facebook officially launched in 2004. The first users were all college students. In fact, you needed a collegiate email address to sign up for an account. Obviously, that quickly changed as the platform now has nearly 3 billion active users. Twitter wasn’t far behind, officially launching in 2006, with Instagram following in 2010.

Even before these major platforms, however, there were things like AOL Instant Messenger, chat rooms, and MySpace – the earliest ways for people to connect and “get social” online.

What do they all have in common?

Most of them launched within a few years of each other, impacting the Millennial generation the most. For a time, many social media platforms felt exclusive to Millennials. They are, for all intents and purposes, the first real social media generation.

Now, however, there are countless tropes about Millennials feeling “old” because of social media. Platforms like Snapchat and TikTok have come out more recently and are largely used by teenagers and even pre-teens. Those in their 20s and 30s are more interested in things like engaging careers, long-term relationships, and continuing education than the next 30-second viral video. Somewhere along the line, this generation started focusing on social media platforms like LinkedIn, where their goals to connect include:

• Using a professional photo
• Consistent updates
• Utilizing keywords
• Requesting recommendations

It’s the fear of the next generation assuming Millennials are old that actually causes so many tropes and stereotypes. Social media moves so quickly, and it’s hard to say what the next big platform will be, but it’s easy to see that Millennials are more content with what they know and using platforms that will help them in the real world, rather than giving in to new social media trends.

Generation Z and Social Media Changes

Gen Z is the current reigning champ of all things social media. They’re young, they’re on top of the latest trends, and they’re usually the first to know when a new platform will be successful or not. Generation Z uses social media differently than any other “aging” generation, with YouTube and Snapchat topping the list of popular apps, and Facebook waning in popularity.

Because this generation is so young, it can be hard to think about how they might be aging in a social media era. But, consider the fact that 42% of Gen Z says social media affects their self-esteem. That’s a higher percentage than Millennials and Baby Boomers. While we might not be seeing the lasting effects on how social media impacts this generation yet, it will be interesting to see what the aging process looks like for them, and how it differs from generations past.

Baby Boomers and the Impact of Social Media

The Baby Boomer generation was introduced to social media later in life. Studies have shown that out of the current living generations, social media means the least to “boomers”. This generation is more focused on real-world interactions, living a quality life, and taking care of their overall wellbeing. Most are more worried about figuring out the complexities of Medicare and insurance than Instagram.

Social media has its pros and cons when it comes to how it affects aging. Some of the positives for seniors include:

• An open platform to discuss health issues
• A way to stay connected to others and combat isolation
• It can lead to new business ventures
• It can be an educational platform

Some social media choices can harm older generations like Baby Boomers. It can foster unrealistic expectations of health and spread negativity very quickly. It’s great to catch up with family and friends, but there is no denying that not everything people post is positive.

We’re now living in a world where every generation from this point on will know what social media is. How it affects each generation as it ages remains to be seen, but as social trends change, the impact of social media platforms will continue to adapt and mold everything from children to seniors as a factor in the aging process.

Photo Credit

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Guest Author Bio
Jori Hamilton

Jori Hamilton is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest who covers social justice issues, healthcare, and politics. You can follow her work on twitter @HamiltonJori, and through her portfolio at Writer Jori Hamilton.

These limitations exist because of a long list of statistics (sometimes staggering) contributing alcohol to a number of issues, including abuse and domestic violence, vehicle accidents, and poor performance at work (among many others).

Social media certainly has its upsides, and has been proven to be a great way for kids to still be able to converse with their friends during the times of school closures and no sports, but it is far less regulated than the main stream media, and relevant to alcohol, this can be a very real issue. For instance, many children suffer from anxiety, and those who do are more likely to look beyond their medications as ways to cope… including alcohol.

Dr. Kent Bausman, a professor in the online sociology program at Maryville University says that “social media posts of young adults and adolescents engaged in alcohol or illicit drug consumption frequently receive positive attention through ‘likes’ from their peers. This is important, as some have argued that this serves as an extension of positive reinforcement increasing the likelihood of repeating these negative behaviors.”

However, he notes that it is important to consider that when it comes to “experimentation with alcohol and illicit drugs prior to the explosion of social media, research has always noted the importance of who one associated with in predicting use.  Adolescents and young adults that engage in excessive alcohol consumption or abuse of illicit drugs are more likely to have in their social network similarly engaged individuals.”

Statistics

There are fair arguments on both sides of the proverbial coin when it comes to limiting and/or censoring what can be posted on social media. The majority of the time, censorship regarding individual posts is very limited, aiming to prevent nudity and hate speech, but not much else. When it comes to paid advertising on social media, there are a few more rules, most of which stems from similar laws pertaining to mainstream advertising.

Unfortunately, though, the vast majority of social media postings that are seen are personal posts, devoid of any limitations on alcohol use or even promotion. In a Columbia University survey, it was determined that teens who use social media are more likely to use alcohol, simply put. Compared to kids who have never seen a photo of people drinking, those who have are 3 times more likely to use the drug during their teen years, and many of those surveyed could not remember their first time seeing someone drinking on social media.

According to Dr. Mai-Ly Nguyen Steers, assistant professor at Duquesne University, “alcohol-related posts can also influence how much young people drink by influencing young people’s perceptions of how much other people drink. If a young person is a heavier drinker, they may see other people posting heavy drinking content and believe that the majority of other youths are engaging in that behavior, which in turn, can encourage them to maintain their heavy drinking.”

For college-aged social media users (about half of whom can legally consume alcohol), there are direct relations to those who post pictures of alcohol consumption and those who develop binge drinking problems. Alcohol companies looking to slide by the mainstream regulations certainly aren’t helping, and offer incentives to those legal-age social media users who tag themselves drinking a given brand of beer, liquor, seltzer, etc.

“On the other hand, youths who do not drink but are exposed to alcohol-related content on social media may believe that they are the only ones that do not drink. Thus, they may feel the need drink to fit in. This can be problematic in that students generally receive overwhelming positive feedback on their alcohol-related posts to social media, which can lead to cyclical increases in drinking and posting of alcohol-related content, not only among the individual student, but also among those within their social media network,” Dr. Steers adds.

Fair Use

Social media is also home to an endless supply of special offers for “checking in” at a certain restaurant, or posting a picture of that establishment…. And almost all of these special offers involve some discounted drinks. With that in mind, even in the simplest, most innocent ways, social media is responsible for increases in alcohol consumption in the United States, and avoiding social media is as difficult as it is impractical, given all of the positive uses (including groups for recovering alcoholics to mingle online and things of the like). With that in mind, regulation can only prevent so much, but it might be worth taking some steps to at least help turn around the numbers mentioned regarding youth and alcohol consumption relevant to social media use.

Helping the Issue

If you’re a parent, keeping an eye on your children’s social media usage is certainly easier said than done in a world of tablets and cell phones, but it really can make a difference in limiting their alcohol consumption. Simply talking to your kids about what they may see on social media and sharing some of the not-so-appealing effects alcohol can have on the mind, body, relationships, and more is also an important step because, let’s face it, keeping an eye on all of their social media use would be a full-time job.

Combatting the bad with the good is also a solid move for adults, and sharing statistics about alcohol on your own pages can help people mellow out on their usage a bit, and also doing things like sharing resources for recovering alcoholics can help add some to the “good” column in the alcohol-and-social-media continuum.

Photo Credit

Image by Ben Kerckx from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

In the early days, bingo promoted unification within communities. Later, its benefits continued to be seen during the gloomy days of World War II, where it became a much-needed distraction for those on the home front. By the 1960s, due to the gambling act reform, bingo was in full swing in the UK, rapidly becoming one of the most favored ways to socialize. And because bingo had become more or less a pastime, it was considered to be more a type of lottery than a form of gambling.

Although traditional bingo halls are still alive and well, online bingo sites are increasing in popularity, offering a modern forum in which to play the game. Online players not only enjoy the same entertainment value and social benefits as traditional bingo, but can also stay connected on social media platforms. Another bonus? Online bingo is just a click away.

If you’ve been looking for an exciting, affordable pastime in which to make new friends and are curious about playing  bingo online, here are a few things to consider:

Affordability

Bingo is an affordable, low-cost option for those wanting the gambling thrill without the high stakes of blackjack or poker. With little to lose (yet still quite a bit to win!), the relatively low cost of a game of bingo appeals to a wide variety of people and attracts players of different ages and gender.

Options

While physical venues are still enjoyed by many, one of the draws of online bingo is choice. There are so many options to choose from, and most offer the added interest of chat rooms, forums and blogs. These are fantastic opportunities for players to interact, share some helpful tips and take advantage of special promotions and offers.

Health Benefits

Aside from fun and entertainment, bingo actually provides physical and psychological benefits as well. It helps to reinforce concentration and can stimulate short-term memory. And because of the fun-filled atmosphere, it provides an opportunity to laugh! Laughter relieves stress, and can even boost the immune system. It turns out, bingo is a wonderful addition to a healthy lifestyle, adding a sense of community and social belonging. Bingo brings people together!

While the game of bingo itself has seen its share of changes over the years, it’s maintained the core aspects players have grown to love: it’s fun, it’s social and it’s a game for all ages. Not to mention, there’s the lure of the win! The ‘human’ factor, though, is what adds real value to the game, and is perhaps one of the biggest reasons it has maintained its popularity over the years. With player interaction and guaranteed excitement, bingo is a fun and easy addition to a healthy lifestyle!

Photo Credit

Photo from Flickr – some rights reserved

Guest Author Bio
Patrycja Lewczuk

Patrycja has been involved with online bingo and casino for 3 years and is well-versed in the ins and outs of online gaming. She provides players with sound advice, allowing for a safe and enjoyable online gaming experience.

So, before you starting applying for new jobs, make sure your digital persona is not tarnishing your image and you’re not putting yourself at a disadvantage. You should have the right privacy settings in place and remove all signs of bad behavior. Your future employers should find a reputable person when they look you up on Facebook.

Control Your Privacy Settings

If you’ve never fiddled with your Facebook privacy settings before, now is the time to understand how they work. It’s important to limit who can see your posts and pictures, so it’s best to set it as “friends” or “friends of friends.” You should also review any posts and pictures you’re tagged in, and remove anything you don’t like.

Delete Inappropriate Photos

Everybody has some sort of inappropriate photo hidden somewhere, and that’s exactly where it should stay, not on your timeline. Even some pictures of you pulling faces can sometimes be construed as immature, depending on the context. So, if you’re proud of that group photo of you going skinny dipping in a lake, you should remember that someone with traditional values might not appreciate it.

Create a Killer About Page

One of the first things potential employers check on your Facebook profile is the About page. It’s not uncommon for people to lie about their qualifications on their resumes and they’re quickly uncovered when it doesn’t match their Facebook profile. So, make sure you’re honest and also don’t forget to add work experiences that suit the place where you’d like to work.

Don’t Bad-Mouth Previous Employers

If you’ve ever had a bad experience in the workplace, you should never talk about it on Facebook. Even if you’re angry, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by making negative statements about other people, especially people you worked with. In the heat of the moment, you might talk about things that were confidential and get yourself into serious trouble for something silly.

Show Yourself Under a Positive Light

The best course of action is to try to portray yourself as a law-abiding citizen with an interesting personality. Basically, you should focus on the positive facts of your life. So, if for instance you have strong political views or religious beliefs, you shouldn’t pick fights with other people and use swear words. You should also write engaging and grammatically correct posts, so employers can see you have great communication skills.

At the end of the day, you just need to remember that your digital persona and the real you are not separate entities. Employers will probably make assumptions based on your Facebook profile, so you should ensure that the person they find online is the perfect fit for their company.

Photo Credit
Photo by moore.owen38 on flickr – some rights reserved

Guest Author Bio
Guilherme Ribeiro

Guilherme is a Brazilian freelance writer who has written for the Huffington Post, Matador Network, Lifehack, and other publications. Check out his portfolio to see more.

Pathetic, some would say. Pathetic, I would say.

But because millions of other people have the same phone, same photo-sharing application, and same exact filters, I, along with many others, are producing and posting a lot of the same exact things. The predictability and repetition of content circled in our Instagram news feeds blurs the focus on the talented content that is, unfortunately, mixed in with all the junk.

That’s why I switched photo-sharing communities, from the once beloved Instagram to Splore, and here’s why:

Their recently launched #RISETOTHETOP photo campaign from Januel+Johnson,
celebrating the new update of Splore.

1) Splore Forces an Honest Opinion

An Instagram photo’s value is determined by the number of “likes”, but just because someone hit “like” for a photo does not mean that they actually like it, or even absorbed the content. For these cases, users could give zero craps about a photo but still “like” it as a result of habits of mindless scrolling and rhythmic screen-tapping.

On the other hand, Splore’s users must give each photo more attention and thought because of the app’s unique interface. When scrolling through your feed, you can tilt your phone left and right to “scan” the photo to catch a glance at smaller details. To zoom out and get the full photo, hold your finger down on the screen. You can up-vote, down-vote, or skip photos to make a judgement and move on to the next. Because of the possibility of a popularity decrease, users must be more diligent with their content to prevent down-votes from counteracting their up-votes.

This direct interaction with photos compels you to give a quick and honest opinion in the form of a vote or a skip. Sure, you could up-vote everything you see, but if you are presented with the option to down-vote something that you genuinely dislike or don’t care for, you’ll probably take it. It challenges artists to post creative and distinguishable material for likes that actually hold some weight.

No more hollow forms of online validation.

2) Content is Categorized

With Instagram, you only follow people. With Splore, you mainly follow categories, which come in the form of #hashtags. This lends itself to a few benefits for the annoyed Instagrammer.

One, it takes the focus off of the user, promoting a culture that is less about how great the user is and more about the content. While scrolling through Instagram, I often find myself zeroing in on the username, for instance “kimkardashian”, and automatically “like” her post. Don’t believe in this phenomenon? Well, I’m sure you are familiar with instances in which people buy into a product or person because of its brand name.

Splore ensures that the first thing I see when scrolling through my feed is the photo; the username blends into the background. Whatever you do over the weekend with your friends does not matter to me or any Splore user. Splore is not a blog. It’s a place where I choose what I want to see, not who.

3) NO SELFIES

This semi-ties into the above argument, but there is more to say about this.

I have only seen 2 selfies on Splore, and both of them had zero up-votes. I’m not celebrating because no one thinks they’re pretty. I’m celebrating because those types of photos aren’t given any attention on Splore. With front-facing cameras and media sharing platforms, everyone wants to be noticed online, even if it’s from people they surround themselves with in their daily lives. They want the physical proof, the numbers, to show that they are liked.

Well Splore users don’t care, because selfies do not require any skill and are a poor excuse for photography. If I see a mirror selfie pic on my Splore newsfeed, you damn right: I WILL be down-votin’ ya.

#RISETOTHETOP Campaign – Featured creative Torrey West, shot by CJ Johnson.

~~~

I don’t hate Instagram, just how it is sometimes used. I am more disgruntled with the fact that elementary and talentless content ubiquitously floats around the internet, fogging up one’s view towards what is worth seeing. There is definitely true talent out there on Instagram, but I have found a community the majority of which is creative and stimulating.

Remember a couple years back when it was “hipster” to use Instagram? Well, Instagram is now mainstream. So I guess it’s fair to say that it is “hipster” to use Splore!

Get Splore and see what I am talking about for yourself.

Photo Credits

Recently launched #RISETOTHETOP photo campaign from Januel + Johnson

#RISETOTHETOP Campaign – Featured creative Torrey West, shot by CJ Johnson

Guest Author Bio
Margaret Zhao

I have regular cravings for ice cream.  Finding my voice in the world, because I lost it somewhere. Los Angeles + San Diego.

Galya knows that women can – and should – lead the way for others to become leaders in different fields, including technology, which is a traditionally male-dominated industry where she has enjoyed much success. Speaking from her own experience, Galya knows that it is possible for women to have everything that they want, such as flexible working hours and high pay, which enables them to enjoy time and money freedom. Galya is a passionate advocate for connecting and uplifting women. In fact, she wants more women to lead influential and inspiring lives so that they can be shining examples to others.

A big part of what drives Galya is her commitment to bringing peace, love and empowerment to people around the world via her work and also through her various charitable and volunteer activities. This includes being president of the Vancouver Entrepreneurs Toastmasters Club, which is regarded as the city’s premiere speaking club. Galya manages to squeeze this – and other speaking commitments in and around the world where she talks about technology and mobile product trends groups – into her hectic schedule.  

Galya Westler is spearheading a movement that she’s created with the goal of helping people to communicate more intimately and more humbly, the way we used to. Galya feels that the biggest problem of this generation is that “we’re suffering of social media obesity as we pig out on selfies of attention.” Many people who grew up with social media, in particular, have become self-obsessed with creating these carefully curated lives for everyone else to witness and admire. Millennials themselves have acknowledged how they’ve become more superficial and cavalier with their relationships compared to previous generations.

Social media has certainly created a new 21st century affliction that’s officially called “Facebook envy”. It’s the feeling of unhappiness that people feel when they see too many pictures of their friends going on exotic vacations, fancy new restaurants, wearing nice clothes and driving expensive cars. They feel that they can’t keep up with others (or F.O.M.O. which is another name for Facebook envy) and end up feeling miserable and resentful. It’s actually a well-documented mental health issue such that South Korea has opened a rehab centre to help youth who are addicted to the internet and social media.

Although people have been steadily growing their list of friends via social media, Galya says that “we’ve become more isolated and lonely in the process” which is a paradox given that people have built vast networks of virtual “friends” and “followers” online. Galya says that people are “in danger of being socially obese” in that we’ve joined so many social media platforms and become linked to so many people, except there is the absence of a true and intimate connection with others. We try and keep up with the Joneses and lose so much time following other people’s lives that we end up not living our own. Galya’s work at 2Galvanize and Plazus reflects her passion for creating platforms to connect people with one another so that they can “be genuinely there for each other” and not merely spectators to other people’s seemingly well-lived lives. It’s certainly a worthy objective from someone who walks their talk and sincerely wants to change the world.

Galya will be speaking at TEDxStanleyPark on May 28, 2016 about “Social Media Obesity and our Loneliness”.

Photo Credit

Photo (c) Gayla Westler

Guest Author Bio

George Verdolaga
George Verdolaga is an author, educator and speaker. He helps people get out of their own way so that they can reach their career and lifestyle goals faster and more efficiently via The Job Farmer and The Contractor Lifestyle books and his Sitting Pretty Course.

Read his blog here and be sure to subscribe to his e-Newsletter.

Blog / Website: Verdolaga Learning Systems

According to this report, an average cost for online marketing is $200-$350 per day.

For most, it is a bit too much. While a bigger budget could help, it is not impossible to have a successful online marketing campaign without infinite resources. That is why the team at Frugaa have diligently devised this list of seven essential online marketing tips, which could prove to be extremely helpful when you are working with a low budget.

1 – Set a marketing goal

What do you want to achieve through your online marketing campaign? What is your end game? Do you desire greater website traffic or a better revenue stream? Or do you just want to increase your site’s engagement rate, and get more likes on your company’s page?

Jot down your expectations with estimated numbers because without those, you would just be shooting an arrow in the dark.

2 – Recognize your target audience

Once you have your goal set up, you have to think about who your target audience is. Are they 18-24 year old socially ebullient shoppers who like to shop for the latest fashions using their mobile devices? Or how about people in a 30-35 year old category, looking for organizational solutions?

This will help to reduce your budget, because instead of spreading your budget across all platforms and all demographics, you will only be focusing on your target audience.

3 – Focus on more visuals

A picture speaks a thousand words, and social media today has proven that. That is why it is important to put your right foot forward when it comes to graphics and visuals.

The graphics do not just need to be good, but they need to have a ‘call-to-action’ embedded in them, which makes users connect with your brand and take a subsequent action. You could either hire a graphic designer, or do the graphics yourself. Of course, hiring an in-house graphic designer could prove to be expensive; we would recommend hiring a freelancer instead.

Or, you could also design visuals yourself with the help of stock photos and some brilliant tools available online.

4 – Create budgeted ads

“Ads are expensive”, as a belief, is not true anymore. Ads on social media platforms are very affordable, and if implemented the right way, they can give you the ROI that you expect.

We recommend starting out with $1 per day ads on both Facebook and Twitter and see what kind of ads are working best. Try different kinds of visuals as well as different target audiences. We recommend doing this for two weeks and then deciding on one style of ad. Then you just have to go forward with it and keep refining along the way.

5 – Start a hashtag campaign

Nothing gets people excited like a hashtag campaign. Use a funny hashtag to get people talking about your subject on Twitter. Remember to make the hashtag relatable both to the target audience as well as to your brand. You could get the hashtag trending by collaborating with some influential players in the same niche as your target audience. You could also just promote the hashtag on Twitter by paying for it.

Similarly, you could also get the hashtag going on Instagram. But make sure you urge people to share their pictures by using the hashtag.

6 – Cross-channel marketing

As we mentioned above, it is not enough to market your brand on one single social media platform. You need to market your brand throughout multiple channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest and even Snapchat.

Yes, handling all of these channels at once can be time consuming and hiring a social media manager can get expensive; that is why we recommend using a scheduling app like Hootsuite or Buffer. You can either use the free version, or get a pro version to add more accounts and features.

7 – Engage with your customers

This is a simple tip, yet not everyone remembers to do it. Scheduling posts saves time, but never, ever, use automated replies. Engage with your customers when they comment or like your brand’s posts. When you comment, do remember to tag them to increase the engagement rate.

We hope that these online marketing tips help you in the long run. Do let us know which one of these is your favorite and if you had other ideas we could add this list.

Photo Credits

KevinKing, Pixabay — Public Domain

Guest Author Bio

Nitin Yadav
Nitin Yadav, marketing analyst for Frugaa, upholds an interest in research based on diverse niches. His work is mostly tilted towards market research and top level strategies. You will find him hitchhiking or supporting Carolina Panthers if not at his work desk.

Boko Haram Bombing

On November 13 in Paris, more than 125 people were killed in at least five separate coordinated attacks by terrorists. As news of the attacks broke, the attention of the world was focused on the City of Light and the unfolding tragedy of yet another terrorist assault. News outlets were flooded with reports, photos, and commentary as regular programing was suspended so that the networks could provide ongoing coverage of the developing situation in France. World leaders, like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, American President Barack Obama, and British Prime Minister David Cameron, issued statements of condolence and support for the people of France.

In early July, 145 people, including children and women, were shot to death in mosques by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria. Later the same month, 100-180 people were killed by a car bomb in Khan Bani Saad in Iraq. In mid-August 96+ people (presumably civilians) were killed by air strikes carried out by the Syrian air force in Douma. In September, Boko Haram killed another 145 people in Nigeria, this time with bombs. On October 10, 102 people were killed and 508 injured by suicide bombers in Ankara, Turkey; the victims were participating in a peace rally. On October 31, 224 people died on Metrojet Flight 9268 over the Sinai, Egypt, likely as a result of a bomb.

I do not watch a lot of TV, but I do not recall all regular programming being interrupted for hours following any of these tragic acts of terrorism. Nor do I recall world leaders holding special news conferences to express their regrets or condolences and offering assistance to the people and leadership of the countries or communities affected.

The morning after the Paris attacks, the top five news items in “Today’s Headlines,” an e-mail I receive daily from The New York Times, were related to the Paris attacks. All of the major news stories on the website of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation concerned Paris. Eight out of ten items posted to my Facebook page are related to the incident in Paris; most are expressions of grief, outrage, or sympathy.

I cannot remember seeing the same level of concern for the other victims of terror mentioned above.

I wonder why Paris is different.

Of course, we grieve for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris and for their loved ones, as indeed we should; the events that occurred there yesterday are truly tragic. But where is the intense global mourning and outrage for the victims of Boko Haram in Nigeria? For those who died in the central station in Ankara? For the victims of Flight 9268? Is our grief for them less because they are geographically farther away from us than Paris? Or is there another reason? Is our grief for them less because our deepest empathy is reserved for those who share our culture, our religious beliefs, or our skin colour?

We are all—French, Nigerian, Turkish, Russian, Iraqi—brothers and sisters. All who suffer as a result of tragedy deserve our empathy equally.

Image Credit

“NIGERIA-UNREST,” by Diariocritico de Venezuela. Creative Commons Flickr. Some rights reserved.