the quiet living room - by quietsocialclub

This week on the podcast, we're thrilled to welcome Dr. Anastasia Dedyukhina, a pioneer in the space of digital wellbeing. Anastasia is not only a bestselling author and a two-time TEDx speaker but also the founder of Consciously Digital, an international network comprising over 130 digital wellbeing coaches. Her pioneering work and extensive experience make her a leading voice in shaping how we interact with technology. In this episode, we delve into questions such as: Learn more about Anastasia's coaching programs! Join the 5-day Challenge here: www.consciously-digital.com/5dc Join the certification program here: www.consciously-digital.com/coaches

This week, we invited Markus Rüther on the podcast, a professional philosopher, working in the field of ethics. Currently, Markus is a Permanent Research Fellow at the Institute for Neurosciences and Medicine (INM-7), based at the Research Center in Juelich, Germany. In addition, he holds the position of Associate Professor at the University of Bonn in Germany. Together, we answer questions like: - What can philosophy teach us about the role of technology in our daily lives? - What questions can we ask ourselves to enhance our wellbeing in a digital world? - What can the stoics teach us about the good life in an AI-dominated world? - (How) does AI threaten wellbeing? Learn more about Markus and his work here: https://www.markusruether.com/

In honour of International Women's Day, we are joined by Dr. Julia Brailovskaia, who has spent over a decade researching at the intersection of mental health and phone use, with a special focus on social media. She is a private lecturer at the University of Bochum and also an initiator of the German Centre for Psychological Health. Together, we explore questions like: - What type of of social media usage patterns will more likely lead to addiction and poor mental health? - What are the symptoms of social media addiction and what are the first steps you can take if you diagnose these symptoms in you? - What should parents do to support healthy social media usage with their children? Read Julia's studies and about her work here: Study: Finding the "Sweet-spot" of Smartphone use Article: Less Social Media makes you Happier and More Efficient at Work Reference to Christian Montag's study on smartphone usage with children: C Montag: Smartphone Usage in Children and Teenagers

In this guided audio exercise, we lay the foundation for a more mindful relationship with technology and together start reshaping your digital environment in a way that promotes wellbeing, calm and focus every day. Do you feel it too? Constant digital notifications and interruptions, overcrowded email inboxes, or unused apps - our digital everyday life doesn't always make it easy to stay calm and focused. But it doesn't have to be this way! Discover a new relationship with your technology for more wellbeing, calm and focus by setting up your digital environment in a way that is right for you and promotes values and goals. Using scientific insights from behavioural and neuroscience, we will together create an environment for more well-being, productivity, and work-life balance in a connected world. Ideal for anyone who wants to declutter their digital life and develop a more balanced relationship with technology. Do you want to dive deeper into the topic of 'Digital Wellbeing'? Then we hope you join our Digital Wellness Challenge! Sign up now and start your year 2024 with more mindful digital habits.

English Episode coming 7th January 2024. In dieser speziellen Neujahrs-Folge leiten wir dich durch eine geführte Audioübung, die den Grundstein für eine achtsamere Beziehung zu deinen digitalen Geräten legt. Perfekt, um das Jahr bewusst und mehr Raum und Zeit zum Sein zu beginnen. Spürst du es auch? Ständige digitale Benachrichtigungen und Unterbrechungen, überfüllte E-Mail-Postfächer oder ungenutzte Apps – unser digitaler Alltag macht es uns nicht immer leicht, Ruhe und Klarheit im Kopf zu bewahren. Doch es geht auch anders! Deine digitale Umgebung kann dich dabei unterstützen, online achtsamer zu sein. Diese Podcast-Episode ist ein wesentlicher Schritt dazu, bewusst zu entscheiden, wann und wie du deine digitalen Geräte nutzen möchtest. Technologie kann ein unglaubliches Werkzeug sein – wenn man sie richtig einsetzt. Finde deinen Weg zu mehr Gelassenheit und Fokus im digitalen Zeitalter, indem du dein digitales Umfeld so einrichtest, das es für dich richtig ist und die Sachen fördert, die dir wichtig sind. Unter Verwendung von wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen aus Verhaltens- und Neurowissenschaften schaffen wir gemeinsam ein Umfeld für mehr Wohlbefinden, Produktivität und Ruhe im vernetzten Alltag. Ideal für jeden, der seinen digitalen Alltag entrümpeln und ein harmonischeres Verhältnis zur Technologie entwickeln möchte. Du möchtest noch tiefer in das Thema "Digitale Balance" eintauchen? Dann nimm doch an unserer Digital Wellness Challenge teil! Melde dich jetzt an und starte deine Reise zu einem bewussteren digitalen Leben.

Doom scrolling, social media addiction and dopamine loops - mental wellbeing in a digital world can seem like a never ending struggle. Jasdeep Mago Jethani is a neurospychologist, a neuroleadership coach, and the founder of an organisation called Invisible Illness with the mission to normalise and destigmatise the conversation on mental health through the medium of art. We invited Jasdeep to talk about: - The neuroscience of mental health and how to build a solid mental wellbeing foundation - What dopamine really is and does (and if dopamine detoxes work). - How to manage social media use and discover the right recipe for you. - Why finding more things you love is the way forward. Stay in touch with Jasdeep.

When we speak of the digital future, it seems obvious that the voices of those who will be impacted by our decisions today should be part of the conversation. Yasmin Al-Douri and Alexander von Janowski are here to make sure that the next generation has a voice and a seat at the table. Together, they founded the Responsible Tech Hub, a youth and young professionals led non profit focusing on bringing the attention to making technology more responsible. Together we speak about: - Who needs to come together for a better tech future - Why we shouldn't underestimate the next generation in helping create a better tech future - Why diversity is so important when it comes to shaping our digital future - What challenges they are seeing in the roadmap to responsibility About RTH: The Responsible Technology Hub (RTH) is committed to decisively shaping the emerging technologies of the present and near future. Our mission is to foster an intergenerational exchange that elevates the voices of young people and allows representatives from industry, academia, policy, and the general public to connect and co-create a responsible technological future. About Yasmin & Alex: Yasmin Al-Douri is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Responsible Technology Hub. She is studying Politics & Technology at the Technical University of Munich and conducts research on the topics of "Regulation of New Technologies" and "AI Ethics". Yasmin has worked in various organizations and tech sectors, including as a research assistant at the Future AI4EO Lab, in the Techquartier Frankfurt, and until recently as a Business Program Manager at Microsoft, where she dealt with "Responsible AI". Yasmin collaborated with the American-German Institute of Johns Hopkins University, the Foreign Office, GIZ, and Welthungerhilfe, and was named the Young Global Changemaker 2022 by the Global Solutions Initiative. Alexander von Janowski is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Responsible Technology Hub – the first technology Hub empowering young voices to shape a responsible technological future. Before founding RTH, he worked for the German Development Corporation, the GIZ, in Eschborn, Tunisia and Bonn on the topic of digital society and Public Sector Innovation and as a researcher in the Volkswagen Machine Learning Research Lab on methods for ethical and trustworthy machine intelligence. He holds a Master of Science degree in Politics & Technology from the Technical University of Munich, a BA in Political Science and Economics from the Goethe University of Frankfurt and was a Young Global Changermaker 2023 finalist.

We are back from the summer break with a special extended episode on AI with AI ethicist and researcher Marianna Ganapini. Since the launch of Chat GPT earlier this year, we have all had some questions, big and small: - How will the future look for AI and humanity? - How will AI impact our daily lives? - Can we ignore the elephant in the room? - How can we make sure the future is bright? Marianna Ganapini is an educator, philosopher and ethicist, Co-Founder of the instructional design consultancy Logica Now and Faculty Director at the Montreal AI Ethics Institute. She has contributed extensively to the research on responsible Ai, just recently published a course with the Alan Turing Institute for Fairness and Responsibility in Human-AI interaction in medical settings. Together we talk about fairness, why doing the right thing is a good thing and how we can make sure that together we create a better future.

Julia Kounlavong is the founder of Unwind your Mind and one of Germany's most prominent voices when it comes to actively shaping the future of work. Her mission is clear: to transform the way we view stress, wellbeing and to bring more humanity into the working world. We invited Julia on the podcast to discuss her thoughts on wellbeing in a digital world and how we can bring our authentic selves to work. Together, we answer questions like: Find out more about Julia and connect with her here. Find out more about Unwind your Mind here.

In this week's episode, we invited Tyler Shores, the ThinkLab Manager at the University of Cambridge and digital wellbeing researcher to speak to us about his insights and learnings. His extensive research spans topics such as digital and print reading, attention, digital distractions, and the role of social media in our lives. We'll be discussing his insights into the realm of digital wellbeing, exploring his research, his teachings at the University of Cambridge, and his approach to achieving balance in an increasingly intertwined online and offline world. In this episode, we cover questions like: - How Digital Distractions Impact Our Live - Why Balance Between Online and Offline is Crucial - When and How to Take "Information Breaks" - How to Manage Time in a Limitless Digital World - Why 'Attention Residue' Matters About Tyler Shores: Tyler Shores is the manager of the ThinkLab at the University of Cambridge, and is a Senior Research Associate at the Intellectual Forum, Jesus College. His research focuses on digital habits, social media, and how digital environments shape how we work, think, and learn. Prior to Cambridge, Tyler worked in online education at Stanford, served as a director of digital textbooks at an international education non-profit organization, and worked at the Google world headquarters in Mountain View, California while running the Authors@Google program. His various work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, WIRED, and many others. And he was once on an episode of The Simpsons. You can take Tyler's course on Edx for free here. You can learn more about Tyler on his website.

Welcome to our first episode in another language! For our English speakers, please head to our blog to read our conversation online. In the age of social media, how can we live more mindfully, authentically and fulfilled? How can we grow our business in the age of social media while remaining true to our values? How can we find a balance as freelancers and entrepreneurs? Wie können wir im Zeitalter der sozialen Medien achtsamer, authentischer und erfüllter leben? Wie können wir unsere Ideen realisieren und dabei unseren Werten treu bleiben? Wie finden wir als Selbstständige und Unternehmer eine Balance? Über unseren Gast: Rini’s Herz schlägt für ein achtsameres, stressreduziertes Leben und das gibt sie in ihrem Coaching, auf ihrem Blog, Podcast und in ihren Büchern und Kursen auch weiter. Mit mehr als 20 Jahren Marketing-Erfahrung und den zwischenzeitlichen Ausbildungen zum Life-Coach und zur Meditations- und Yogalehrerin vereint die Diplom-Biologin beide Welten im Zeichen der digitalen Achtsamkeit. Sie unterstützt Selbstständige dabei ihr Nervensystem und somit ihren Stress besser zu regulieren und mehr Ruhe und Ausgeglichenheit zu finden – privat wie beruflich – und parallel Smartphone, Social Media & Co. bewusster zu nutzen. Zurzeit befindet sich Rini auch in der Ausbildung zur Heilpraktikerin für Psychotherapie, um Menschen noch intensiver in ihrer mentalen Gesundheit zu unterstützen. Mehr über Rini und wie du mit ihr zusammenarbeiten kannst, erfährst du auf ihrer Website. Über ihren Newsletter bekommst du monatlich eine exklusive Meditation direkt in dein Postfach geliefert und im „Ausgesprochen achtsam“ Podcast gibt es regelmäßige News und Gäste rund um das Thema Screen-Life-Balance, Slow Living und (digitale) Achtsamkeit. Mehr über Rini unter: https://www.rinipegka.com/ Rinis Buch könnt ihr nun als Hardcover oder E-Book hier bestellen.

How can we use social media in a way that will leave us feeling well before, during and after without deleting our accounts? What skills and mindset do we need to thrive in the age of digital? Bailey Parnell is the Founder & CEO of SkillsCamp, a soft skills training company, and was named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women. Bailey is a 2x TED speaker with over 4 million views, an award-winning and internationally-recognized entrepreneur, an active humanitarian, and one with a talent for helping people develop the skills they need for success. Her work and expertise have been featured in Forbes, Good Morning America, Fox, and more. Bailey is currently working on her EdD in Learning and Organizational Change at Baylor University. Previously, she completed her Masters in Communications and Culture at Toronto Metropolitan University with research looking into social media's impact on mental health, the results of which she's presented in multiple global forums and turned into her signature 5 Steps Towards #SafeSocial and a connected non-profit of the same name. In this episode, we answer questions like: - Why you don't need to delete your TikTok or Instagram account to thrive in the digital age - How social media use changes for different generations - Why are soft skills so important and which skills do we need to thrive in the digital age? - What do you need to focus on in your "offline life" to feel well online? Follow Bailey's work and become an ambassador: https://safesocialmedia.co/ https://www.skillscamp.co/about/#soft-skills

How can we build healthy digital habits in the age of information overload? How can we find balance when technology is increasingly part of our lives? Our guest in this episode is Tim Smits, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Unpluq, a distraction blocking app and physical tag that helps people improve their digital habits so they can focus on what matters most to them. Together with Tim, we explore: - How he founded Unpluq as a solution to being constantly distracted - What he sees as the future of our relationship with technology - How Unpluq helps people make time for the things that matter most to them Unpluq has offered the QSC community a 30% discount on the app and tag with code "quietsocialclub." Discover their products here.

Nathan Zeldes was one of the first to recognise the problem of increasing information overload. Working at Intel more than 30 years ago, he came up with a solution: "Quiet time": an active break from emails, meetings and other communication channels. He went on to found the Information Overload Research Group. He has since trained thousands of people to manage their time and energy in the workplace for more wellbeing, focus and work-life balance. In our conversation, we answer questions like: Check out Nathan's free resources to combat Information Overload. Learn more about the Information Overload Research Group.

Kenneth Schlenker founded Opal in 2020 with a mission to help 1 billion people focus better day to day, so they can accomplish their dreams. We invited him for an interview to talk about the role of technology in our daily lives, how Opal is helping people change their digital habits, so they feel better and can focus on the things and people that are truly meaningful to them. Together, we explored questions like: - How can we get off the treadmill when we're constantly connected? - How can we find a balance between our online and offline lives? - How can we manage FOMO? - What would tech look like that is aligned with our human interest? - What do our digital habits have in common with our eating habits? We are working with Opal to offer the Quiet Social Club community a special discount code with 30% off if you decide to subscribe to the app. The first 7 days are completely free, so make sure to give this ground-breaking, time-creating technology a try! Sign up here to claim your discount. Kenneth also introduces the app's newest feature: "Live Events" where you can encourage your community to unplug together with you. Want to create an event? Message hi@opal.so.

How can we use technology to promote wellbeing rather than leading to distraction? How can tech companies build applications that bring out the best in us as individuals, organisations and communities? Our guest in this episode is Clo S, UX Researcher, certified digital wellbeing coach and founder of This Too Shall Grow. Together we answer questions like: - How can tech professionals design more ethical products? - How can we use tech in a more intentional way? - Is digital detox the way to go? - Why not all notifications are created equal - How can digital wellbeing enhance UX research and design? - What is a digital wellbeing experiment you can try today? Clo is a certified digital wellbeing coach who recently authored her first book "Tech Bliss: 30 experiments for your Digital Wellness" which you can purchase here.

March 3rd is Global Day of Unplugging, an annual awareness campaign established in 2009 to celebrate human connection over digital engagement. We invited Claudia Erickson, co founder of the nonprofit Unplugged Collaborative, home and host of Global Day of Unplugging, to talk about all the ways that you can join and why this is an incredible opportunity to get to know the benefits of taking a break from technology. Join our Newsletter to receive free materials, ideas and tools to have a great experience unplugging with friends, family and colleagues. Head to Unplug Collaborative to learn more about the non-profit and all the ways that you can unplug. Message us to join, participate, or host your own event. Purchase your signal blocking pouch or Digital Wellness Kit of the Unplug Collaborative with this link. 20% of all proceeds go back to the non-profit and their incredible community work.

How can we build strong teams and foster human connection in the remote working age? What are the challenges and opportunities of distributed teams? Our guest in this episode is Nini Fritz. She is founder of the The Work Happiness Project and eyeConnect, the Digital Detox icebreaker game, which helps people disconnect from their devices and connect the human way. She is also a certified bucket list coach who helps people take time out of their busy life to work on their best life. After the success of a recent bucket list brunch, we are happy to have Nini talk to us about the future of work and how remote working can actually be a unique opportunity to connect to people you weren't able to meet previously. In this episode, we answer questions like: - Why does remote working need a different approach to team building? - How can we prioritise connection in the future of work? - What can companies and individuals do to make the move to remote working a success. Find out more about Nini and the Work Happiness Project here. Purchase the Eyeconnect game with 10% off (Code: DETOX10) here.

In the first episode of 2023, we speak to Gloria Mark about the quality of attention and how to manage distractions in a digital world. Gloria Mark is Chancellor Professor at the University of California Irvine, and has dedicated the majority of her academic career to understanding how the way we use technology is affecting our cognitive resources and attention span. She’s the author of “Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity” which is launching this week and so we were thrilled to have Gloria introduce her book and share some of her findings and learnings with us. In this episode, we answer questions like: Read up a shortened version of the interview and our key learnings on on our blog. Download Gloria's book here.

Cultivating a gratitude practice in the evening allows us to reflect back on our day with a feeling of positivity and to view the events of the day through the lense of abundance. When we approach our day with a feeling of gratitude, we can reframe our experiences - whether they felt happy or challenging - into an opportunity for growth and developing wisdom. Inviting this feeling of abundance into our evening ritual, we set the intention for a restful night and a fulfilled day ahead. Join us for this special evening meditation and experience the benefits of a daily gratitude practice.