A Way to Use the Internet Mindfully

The internet offers unique opportunities—and temptations

If we could each use the internet only in the ways that serve us, what a world we could live in. Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock

Here’s a question worth pondering: Has the internet had an overall positive or negative impact on your life?

As you read and hopefully enjoy this article, take a minute to reflect on all that you appreciate about the internet and its benefits in your life.

• Do you have any favorite blogs that you follow?
• Does the internet help you to keep in touch with distant friends or family?
• How has the internet helped you to save time or money?
• Have you watched any good movies or TV shows lately?

Now, take another minute to think about times when your relationship with the internet has been less than ideal.

• Do you ever find yourself compulsively checking for emails or news updates?
• Have you ever spent way more time than you expected scrolling on social media or watching videos?
• Has the internet ever fed into any addictions by making them easier to access?

I think many would agree that the internet is an amazing and powerful creation—capable of delivering great benefits. They would also agree the internet can trigger behaviors that are difficult to tame.

Digital Versus Physical

As someone who is curious and loves learning, I completely resonate with the appeal of the internet as a source of knowledge. That part of my personality is the reason I feel a wave of happiness when I walk into a big, beautiful library.