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By Trisha Prabhu

Me thinking to myself…“How do I want to start off Ask Trish’s content for 2023?…Ah-ha! I got it! Let’s chat about digital resolutions.”

Happy New Year, Ask Trish fam! I hope all of you enjoyed a restful holiday break and that you’ve had a wonderful start to 2023. I am so thrilled to be kicking off a new year of Ask Trish content – I can’t wait to answer all of your questions, hopefully sharing some helpful tips and keeping you feeling positive and empowered in today’s digital world.

As I started to think about how I wanted to start off Ask Trish’s content in the New Year, I realized that there was likely no better topic than digital resolutions, and in particular, my digital resolution for 2023 and ideas for all of you on what your digital resolutions may be. For the Ask Trish veterans reading this week’s post, you’ll know that we’ve covered digital resolutions before, in-detail (that was way back in December of 2021 – check out that post here). So why are we chatting about it again? Because it’s a new year, and I figured, “creating a digital resolution” may not have been super high on your to-do list…so I thought you’d appreciate a reminder. With a new year comes a new opportunity to better our digital engagement – and it’s an opportunity we should seize. So to kick off Ask Trish for 2023, here’s a quick guide to making your digital resolution for this year, including a recap of what a digital resolution is, my digital resolution and how I decided on it, and finally, a nifty list of ideas to get started. Let’s get into it!

So, as a recap, what’s a digital resolution?  A digital resolution is a commitment about the way you’ll engage with the internet in the new year. As I discussed in my first post on digital resolutions, creating a digital resolution requires 1) reflection – thinking honestly about your digital engagement in the past year and what about that engagement you would change (with no judgment! None of us are perfect!), 2) affirmation – giving yourself some kudos for what went well, and 3) resolution – coming up with a goal for your digital engagement in the year ahead. Remember, a digital resolution needs to be both 1) specific, so that you can measure your progress and keep yourself accountable, and 2) ideally in a place where there’s possibility for growth – so something that’s realistic but actually will substantively better your digital engagement. To that end, a fourth, unofficial step, is 4) keeping track of your progress throughout the year – so you can identify challenges when they emerge and see how far you’ve come!

Having done that recap, let’s now talk through an example – my digital resolution for 2023, which is to limit the amount of time I spend on my phone every week. Early this new year, I spent some time reflecting on my digital engagement in 2022, and realized that an area I’d struggled with (as we all do!) was creating space between me and my phone. As I’m sure many will sympathize, I’m regularly getting email notifications and Slack messages on my phone, which can, at times, make it difficult to set boundaries and step away. I did successfully create some limits – for instance, putting my phone away at a certain time before bed – but without a broader goal, did ultimately spend a ton of time (more than I wanted to) staring at that little screen! I also gave myself kudos for the components of my digital engagement that went well – for instance, I feel like I did a good job creating digital boundaries on my social media. Finally, I took a little bit of time (about 10 minutes) and thought about and refined a specific digital resolution. In the end, it looked a little bit like this: “Every week, I will spend no more than X hours on my phone.” ^As discussed, the goal is specific, so I can hold myself accountable, and 2) the time limit I selected is realistic but also offers opportunity for growth (and the chance to spend a good chunk of time I would’ve spent on my phone doing something else).

Okay – now, it’s your turn! In the next week, I want to encourage you to set your own digital resolution for 2023. How do you want to change your engagement? How will you challenge yourself to be better online? I know it can be a little difficult to reflect on such big questions…so to help out, I’ve created a list of potential topics/areas you might consider as you think about the best digital resolution for you. I hope this is a helpful starting point:

  1. Setting screen time limits or setting limits on your usage of specific apps, e.g., a specifical social media app
  2. ^Relatedly, addressing phone distraction, particularly when it’s affecting your academics or work
  3. Re-working your relationship with/how you see social media, so you don’t feel the pressure to post
  4. Having conversations with your parents about your tech and internet use and the #digitalrules you follow
  5. Being an Upstander on the internet when you see something that isn’t okay, whether it’s cyberbullying or misleading content

Don’t forget, Ask Trish has posts about all of these topics – so feel free to refer back to them as you’re brainstorming your digital resolution

Again, I am so thrilled to do #AskTrish with you all in 2023! Here’s to everything ahead this year. And speaking of everything ahead…as we kick off the new year, I want to encourage you to share any internet-related questions, thoughts, or perspectives with me here. Your topic just might be featured in an upcoming TikTok/blog post! Remember, anything on your mind is completely valid (I promise, it’s very likely that other folks in our community are wondering the same things too!). 💙 Ooh, and one last thing – don’t forget that if you see an Ask Trish video you like, you should give it a like and share it on your social media. Let’s get all the #AskTrish love we can this year!

Until next week,

Trish

@asktrish

Welcome back, Ask Trish fam! To start off the #newyear 2023, we’re discussing my digital #resolution and the power of these resolutions to better our experiences online. 💙 Learn more and make your own resolution by reading this week’s post 👀

♬ original sound – Ask Trish

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