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Originally appears in the Fall 2022 issue.

By Kerry Crofton

I had met the visionary founder, Levi Felix, at Wisdom 2.0 in San Francisco the year before where he was composing haiku on an old manual typewriter. Of course, I approached him, and we talked about how many people were so attached to their cell phones. Levi invited me to Camp Grounded ® — “a summer camp for adults” that he was organizing.

Upon arrival at the gate, everyone had to hand in all their devices at the Tech Check. My husband and I looked forward to four off-the-grid days in the forest. But many young digital natives looked very apprehensive. All that open space. 

After a few days being totally tech-free, they were roaring around, whooping with joy, playing Capture the Flag and other analog games. This wasn’t just a good time in the woods; it was therapeutic. Playfulness and the power of nature were strategies to transport campers back to childhood, before they got tech addicted and lived mostly indoors. The approach was to get techies out of the frenzied buzz of the big city to reconnect with each other and themselves, by disconnecting from electronic screens and social media. 

My camp name was “Momma Zen” and each morning I led the mindfulness practice, which helped ease the campers’ tech cravings. I took a song-writing ‘play-shop.’ I had never written a song, but how hard could it be? On the final night, under a canopy of towering redwoods, hundreds of happy campers cheered me on as I stepped onto the stage to offer my first ever song.

The audience chuckled when I mumbled to the musicians, “Can you play some slow funk?” (I had no idea what that was. Fortunately, they did.) 

This is The Age of Digital Distraction

Why is life so edgy and empty, when your digital entertainment never ends?

Why is the night so long and lonely, when you’ve got five hundred “friends?”

[The raucous crowd is now stamping their feet and joyfully belting out the chorus.]

We are living, breathing humans 

who long to be seen; 

Long to be connected, 

heart to heart, not on a screen!   

Isolated inside children,

Families gone astray,

Sadly disconnected,

Forgotten how to play.

This age of digital distraction

Keeps you tech addicted 

And brings NO… satisfaction.

[Singing to Levi and Brooke]

At the no-tech camp you founded,

We are connected, 

We are grounded.

Truly happy… just to be

Here in the redwoods,

Playing… screen free!

Zoom fatigue 

You open your email in the morning to find yet another Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts meeting and shudder. You can already picture your eyes getting dry and sore — your mind wandering while you try desperately to focus on what might be your third or fourth online meeting of the day. You’re not alone, and you’re not to blame for dreading endless virtual gatherings: Recent research from Stanford suggests that current implementations of videoconferencing technologies are exhausting in more ways than one.

Canadian optometrists have also cited signs of increased eye fatigue not just among the adult population but in kids, too. A recent Chinese study found alarming rates of myopia in children due to lockdowns and online-only learning. Since learning, meetings, and connecting with friends and family may remain at least partly virtual for the foreseeable future, none of this news bodes well.

Toronto physician Dr. Tripler Pell cautions us about four hazards of tech overload and blue-lit screens: vision, obesity, posture, and sleep disruption. To minimize potential impacts on our vision she recommends the ‘20/20’ rule: “Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The blue light also inhibits the body’s production of melatonin, which induces sleep. Screentime should be avoided at night, or at the very least, in the hour before sleep onset.” 

We offer you simple ways to manage stress and fatigue in this digital age: Zoom and other videoconferencing seem essential these days — for work, study, and personal connections. As with most technology, there are benefits and drawbacks. 

To counterbalance these sedentary and mostly mental online activities, try these tips:

Shift your awareness down from your head to feel more grounded in your body, during the call when possible. Remember to blink and follow Dr. Pell’s vision health 20/20 rule.

Take rest breaks, even while seated and paying attention. Place the palms of the hands on your abdomen (this is centering and keeps your distracting hands off screen). 

Disable your camera now and then if you can. Ask the host to schedule a five-minute break every hour. 

Step outside or look out the window. Stretch your arms to loosen tension in your neck, shoulders, and lower back. Take a few deep breaths. Gently exhale the stale air. Get the oxygen and energy flowing.

Tune into your sense perceptions. Refocus your gaze.

Check out the ergonomics of your work station, and consider why wired connectivity is more stable and secure than WiFi, making it a safer way to be online.

Ergonomic tips 

Ever say to yourself, “I’m going to take a break; my wrists are hurting, my neck’s sore, my eyes are red, but I just have to finish this…?” Our practices can help you to pause, breathe, and tune in; you’re more able to just step away and take a break. Go easy. Don’t strain tight muscles or joints. 

Ergonomics are vital to a comfortable and sustainable work and computer station. Your computer screen should be eye level and an arm’s length away; limit screentime; use an eye- saving screen to reduce glare; alternate fixed focus by looking off into the distance; remember to blink and keep eyes hydrated. 

Being mindful is key in avoiding “tech neck” and repetition-strain injuries. Lying on the floor, couch, or bed is not the best. Make sure your lower back is well supported when you sit. Stand up and stretch often. Get outside for deep breathing breaks. 

Eye strain and myopia 

Myopia and eye strain are two of the most common symptoms of excessive tech time. Staring at blue-lit electronic screens creates stress on your eyes, which are processing flashes of light at phenomenal speeds. 

To help with this, we offer palming, which is an effective technique to reduce eye strain. It is simple and only takes two minutes out of your busy work day. We encourage you to try it out: Cup your hands and place them gently over your eyes, creating a dark and soothing space where your eyes can relax. Imagine all the muscles of your eyes are relaxing and letting go. Imagine a wave of relaxation — a feeling of warmth or coolness spreading from the top of your head throughout your body and bringing healing energy to your eyes. Gently bring your attention back to the movement of the breath. 

Got a window? Watch the birds. Stretch your arms. This eases strain on your eyes and muscles, while allowing you to come back to your work refreshed.

5-minute meditation 

We also offer you our five-minute meditation practice because even seasoned mindfulness practitioners and health-conscious teachers catch themselves being too attached to their devices and digital media. 

And even with their muscle-stretching practices, they have aches and pains — repetition-strain injuries — from excessive use of their thumbs, wrists, neck, and back with constant texting, swiping and the slumped over screen-staring posture. 

Ready to give it a try? Take it slowly. Maybe try our gentle approach of being curious and non-judgmental. 

Mindfulness can be a sitting practice and also a contemplative practice such as yoga or stretching. By adapting these to the age group, mindfulness can be easily practiced within schools. 

It is good for students at every age to sit quietly in their own spot at least once a day and take a few minutes to breathe deeply, stretch their arms, and maybe lie on the floor or the grass. 

Encourage them to note what they are feeling; what they can smell, taste, or touch. Easing them into being with themselves — without any electronics — feeling comfortable slowing down. Focusing on their body and their sense perceptions reduces their stress and brings relief to cluttered and anxious brains.

Kerry Crofton, PhD, is founder and director of the Canadian charity, Global Alliance for Brain & Heart Health (Global Health Alliance). Her international team of environmental health experts are dedicated to nurturing the physical and mental wellbeing of children, youth, and families in this digital age. Her 45 years of professional work includes developing and delivering wellness programs for teachers, parents, nurses, physicians, cardiac patients, air traffic controllers, commercial and fighter pilots, and others in high-stress occupations. She is the author of The Wellness Guide for the Digital Age as well as Less Screen More Green: The Mindful Tech Plan offers the powers of nature, mindfulness and being truly connected.  Kerry is a nature-loving mother and grandmother, and once worked as a teacher. These days she offers Pro D Less Screen, More Green programs for other teachers, as well as The Mindful Tech Plan™, The Family Tech Plan™, and The School Tech Plan™.