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Do you have a TikTok Brain?

Letter #73 • August 15th, 2023

→ Read on the web​

When is the last time you got hooked on TikTok? Video-based social platforms are nothing new, but scientists have been observing the pervasive effect of short videos, popularised by TikTok. In today’s edition, you’ll find answers to questions such as “Wtf is a TikTok brain?” and “Does my mental health app sell my very sensitive mental health data behind my back?”.

Big news: I am now opening free discovery calls, ideal for those curious but on the verge about 1:1 coaching. Come chat with me, we'll see if it's a good fit and how I can help you improve your relationship with tech and unlock hidden time! Here's what one of my clients had to say:

Oh, and if you’re in Berlin, let’s meet! On August 31st, I’ll be hosting an event with a name so long I now regret not going for something shorter: “Productivity and Well-being for Remote Work: Finding Balance in the Digital Age”. There will be a talk, informal discussions, drinks, snacks, and humans! Register here for free 💖

Enjoy today's edition of Digital Wellness, and see you next week!

- Clo

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🌳 Rooted reads

​This Was Supposed to be the Antidote for TikTok Brain. It’s Just as Bad.​
This article draws on the latest academic research to explore the impact of short-form videos. It looks in particular at YouTube Shorts and how affect kids’ and teens’ ability to focus and exercise self-control. Leading researchers emphasize the fact that this short format makes it easier to develop addictive behaviours than longer-form digital entertainment such as video games.

​Are mental health apps better or worse at privacy in 2023?​
Mozilla’s *Privacy Not Included initiative took a long hard look at mental health apps’ privacy and security features. Reviewers used 5 key criteria to analyse and rank 30+ applications. For instance, they share that Betterhelp is required by the FTC to pay $7.8 million for breaking their promise not to share their users’ sensitive mental health information for advertising money.
If you use Calm, Woebot, Betterhelp, Headspace, or any other mental health application, I recommend taking a look at that article!

​Deep Dive into Digital Well-being​
I’ve partnered with Refind to create a Deep Dive on Digital Well-being. It contains 10 essential links to get perspectives from neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy on the way technology impacts our brain and psyche. 100% Clo certified.

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🌿 Featured vines

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🪴 Bolstering branches

Whenever you are ready, I would love to help you reach tech-life balance:
→ Discover the science behind 30 healthy digital habits with the Tech Bliss workbook​
→ Book a 1:1 coaching session where we'll craft a robust personalised action plan together. I'll help you go from overwhelmed and distracted to present and focused.
→ Invite me to give a workshop at your company. I love to help teams with interactive presentations, to raise their awareness and help them craft better tech habits.

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🌱 Seed for growth

What’s the smallest step you can take today?

That’s a question I like asking at the end of coaching sessions. Picture it: we’ve just spent one hour going deep into your digital habits, your personal goals, what you could accomplish if you had better control over your technology. You’re pumped and want to start making changes, and at the same time, life is incredibly busy.

To make sure you start acting now, what’s the smallest step you can take today? Even if it takes 2 minutes, it will create momentum, a first ripple, making it easier for you to keep committing the next day.

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→ Sharing it on Twitter or other social platforms
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→ Make a donation to the tip jar below

Want to share some feedback? A relevant resource you’d like me to feature? Let me know, I respond to every email.

See you next week!

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