Digital Mindfulness: A Bufferchat Recap

In #bufferchat this week, we explored the concept and practice of digital mindfulness. We discussed how to define it, what it looks like to each of us, and how we can bring more mindfulness into our lives. Read on to read some of the awesome thoughts and insights shared by our community during the chat!

Catch our weekly Twitter chat, #bufferchat, every week on Wednesdays, 9 am PT/Noon ET/5 pm UTC, for valuable industry insights and networking with nearly 400 other smart marketers and community managers. It’s a fun time!

Exciting news: Starting on March 2, 2016, we will be starting a 2nd #bufferchat, to involve our community over in APAC timezones! The discussion will be on the same topic as the usual chat, just at a more convenient time. Catch it every Wednesday, 4 pm AEDT (Sydney time, UTC+11)!

Q1: What does digital mindfulness mean to you?

From the community:

• “Digital mindfulness is the awareness we have of our technology and how we integrate it into our lives” @TheRoyalTbomb
• “Digital mindfulness requires us to think beyond the click. How do my digital actions effect others?” @MaureenOnPoint
• “Awareness of the negative, time-sucking effects of too much connected time. Or, taking time to appreciate how cool binary is.” @nicelyj2
• “#DigitalMindfulness = connecting with intention + being aware of how your connectedness influences interactions with others.” @kaylaleverton
• “Paying attention to the use of a smartphone to keep us from being present – understanding intentionality of actions.” @AnnDiab

See all the great answers to question 1 here!

Q2: When are you able to focus most clearly?

From the community:

• “My focus is peak when notifications are off, music is loud and coffee is hot.” @CrateTeam
• “When working from home morning run makes a huge difference. Proper break during lunch in office helps me focus in the pm.” @lenkakopp
• “I am able to focus most clearly, I find, when I am able to tune out distractions – which can be hard on social media.” @BasicBon
• “I focus best when I have a clear idea of my priorities and a set amount of time to really dig in.” @emilyenroute
• “When I am sequestered in my seat on a plane without access to wifi. Amazing focus is possible.” @draywharton

See all the great answers to question 2 here!

Q3: What does your relationship with your digital devices look like?

From the community:

• “Me and my digital devices are an extension of one another… they are the tool and means… I am the creative force.” @darcyschuller
• “I don’t use my phone while I’m eating. But I only take it out if I really REALLY need to gram a good lookin’ plate! :)” @sola_eclipses
• “I think if aliens were looking down on us, they’d think our mobile devices were some sort of tool to sustain life.” @epiclysteve
• “I’m hooked, but I don’t have any notifications of any kind on my phone. Even my ringer is permanently on silent.” @izzydoesizzy
• “Improving! Been learning our boundaries, plus my kids make it easy to unplug.” @MattQuanstrom

See all the great answers to question 3 here!

Q4: How do you balance time on and off screens?

From the community:

• “I intentionally carve out time other for activities. Gym, hiking, and dabbling in creative projects level me out.” @mightyella
• “Trying to have more time where I plan to leave my phone so I can give my full attention to people IRL.” @WeintraubL
• “I leave my phone on silent in a drawer for an hour or two once a week. It’s small, but it’s freeing.” @keeganlanier
• “I use a timer & schedule specific time for online vs offline tasks. Also experimenting with ‘No screens after 10p.'” @TamaraHala
• “We have lunch & learns where a dept. shares what they’re working on. We’ve deemed it as “device free” and it’s awesome!” @marymangione

See all the great answers to question 4 here!

Q5: What is your perception of a “digital detox”? Have you ever tried one? If so, share your thoughts!

From the community:

• “One time, I did a detox and lasted 10hr, so I try to stay away from that word and plan it into my lifestyle.” @lafitara
• “I wish I could try one! But it’s hard when part of your job involves social media. I’m forced to plug in.” @michemakeswords
• “Digital detoxes are necessary for my sanity. It can be as simple as stepping away for an hour.” @danielleirogers
• “Digital detox, for me, means lowering the volume to 0 – no social, limited email, limited SMS. Let. The. World. Slow. Down.” @ad_astra11
• “Had one in Dec-Jan, it was interesting, I’ll say. But felt so strange and disconnected.” @LisaMarieMary

See all the great answers to question 5 here!

Q6: What apps or tactics help you use technology more mindfully, and how?

From the community:

• “@buddhify is fantastic. It brings #mindfulness to daily activities. It even has an exercise for web browsing!” @lizadixon
• “Airplane mode, mobile networks/internet are what hook you. Try Flux if #tech impacts your sleep.” @Picatic
• “Scheduling content ahead helps too so you can spend more time interacting w/ your communities.” @byStephie
• “I just found @Get_Headspace and it’s a great mobile app to help with meditation.” @tylerrobb
• “I use a OneNote daily log to ensure I record a daily gratitude and that always makes me more mindful.” @draywharton

Check out some of the other tools mentioned!

• DoNothingFor2Minutes
• TimelyApp
• Calm
• Quietkit
• StayFocusd
• Latergramme
• Buffer
• Pocket
• Evernote
• Crowdbabble
• Hootsuite
• IFTTT
• Wunderlist
• Slack
• BuzzSumo
• NotesPlus
• Feedly
• Trello
• Tweetdeck

See all the great answers to question 6 here!

Q7: Moving forward, what’s one way you’d like to be more mindful in your life?

From the community:

• “Other than daily meditation, just enjoying the little things. And being mindful that I live and breathe.” @itsanca
• “Being intentional with the time I spend with my loved ones! Listening + undivided attention is the best gift we can give.” @marymangione
• “Not surprising for a writer, but recording the moments: meaningful, shocking or mundane.” @natwahid
• “Taking out time to reflect and review about my life every once in a while, say on weekends.” @TobiGbemisola
• “Doing less at once. Focus on single projects until completion. Less Noise.” @Ares_0926

See all the great answers to question 7 here!

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Thank you so much to our amazing community for participating in this great chat!

Catch #bufferchat each Wednesday at 9 am ET (5 pm UTC) or at 4 pm AEDT (UTC+11). Join our new Slack community with over 1,000 members to continue these awesome conversations all week long!

Do you have any comments or answers to these questions? Leave your thoughts in the comments! We’d love to hear from you!

Image sources: UnSplash