11 Mindful Ways to Use Technology for Better Mental Health (Without Overwhelm!)

Technology and Mental Health: Friend or Foe?

Technology has a bad reputation when it comes to mental health, and rightly so. Studies show that excessive screen time can increase anxiety, disrupt sleep, and fuel comparison culture. (source)

Personally, I sometimes fondly remember my pre-internet days. I don’t know how Gen Z got through high school with social media involved (fellow Millennials, do you ever think about this?). One of the weirdest parts about being a Millennial is remembering life before the internet, but still having digital tools embedded into our daily lives.

And the thing is—it doesn’t have to be all bad.

With mindful use, technology can actually enhance your mental well-being. From habit tracking apps and digital boundaries to AI-driven emotional support, this post breaks down 11 powerful ways to make tech work for you, not against you.

Let’s get into it.

How Technology Impacts Mental Health (The Good & The Bad)

The Negatives: The Dark Side of Tech

• Doomscrolling & Overstimulation – Ever opened an app, only to look up an hour later wondering where the time went? Studies show that doomscrolling triggers stress responses, fueling anxiety and depression. (source)

• Comparison Culture & FOMO – Social media often distorts reality, making it easy to feel like you’re falling behind.

• Tech Addiction & Sleep Disruption – Blue light exposure reduces melatonin production by up to 50%, making quality sleep harder to achieve. (source)

The Positives: Mindful Tech for Mental Wellness

• Mindfulness & Digital Well-being Tools – Apps like Headspace and Calm help reduce stress and improve sleep.

• Online Mental Health Support – Platforms like BetterHelp make therapy more accessible than ever.

• Productivity & Habit-Tracking – People who track their habits are 42% more likely to achieve their goals. (source)

🚨 The bottom line? Technology isn’t inherently bad—it’s about how you use it.

Digital Mindfulness Practices: Take Back Control

Using technology intentionally is the key to enhancing your life instead of spiraling into overwhelm.

I used to feel completely drained by my phone. I’d scroll late at night, wake up exhausted, and wonder why am I like this? 😅 But once I started setting digital boundaries and using tech as a tool, things changed.

Here’s how you can do the same.

Using AI for Emotional Support: The Game-Changer No One Talks About

AI isn’t here to replace human connection—it’s here to expand your support system.

I use ChatGPT for:

✔ Processing emotions between therapy sessions

✔ Getting pep talks when I feel stuck (because AI never judges!)

✔ Organizing my thoughts with AI-assisted journaling

I wish more people saw AI this way. Instead of worrying about AI taking over jobs, we should be focusing on how AI can support mental health, creativity, and personal growth.

💡 Want to master AI for mental wellness? Join my workshop!

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Gaining Insight & Tracking Your Well-being

You can’t change what you don’t measure. Tracking your mood, sleep, habits, and time helps you notice patterns and make better choices.

Tracking Your Time: How Much Time Are You Actually Spending on Netflix?

You know that feeling when you swear you only watched one episode of a show, but suddenly, it’s three hours later? (Guilty.)

Tracking your time can be eye-opening—and it’s one of the best ways to identify where your energy is actually going.

Depending on how nerdy you want to get, time tracking can be as simple or detailed as you like:

• Option 1: Just track a few key activities (like Netflix time, scrolling social media, or deep work hours).

• Option 2: Go full data-nerd mode and track everything you do.

Built-in Screen Time Tracking (Easy Mode)

If you just want to get a big-picture look at your digital habits, your phone already has built-in tools:

📱 iPhone Users: Use Screen Time (Settings > Screen Time) to:

✔ See a daily & weekly report of app usage

✔ Set limits on time-sucking apps (hello, TikTok)

✔ Schedule Downtime for focused, screen-free periods

🤖 Android Users: Use Digital Wellbeing (Settings > Digital Wellbeing) to:

✔ Track screen time & unlocks per day

✔ Set app timers to reduce overuse

✔ Enable Bedtime Mode for less blue light & fewer distractions

If you want more control over how you track time—including non-digital activities—you’ll need a third-party app.

Manual Time Tracking: Get Granular

I started tracking my time because I wanted to be more intentional about where my energy was going. But spoiler alert: I quickly realized I was spending way more time on mindless scrolling than I thought.

My go-to time tracking app is Toggl Track because:

✔ It’s stupidly easy to use (tap to start a timer, tap to stop it—done!)

✔ You can track literally anything (Netflix, deep work, workouts, even naps)

✔ It lets you set time-based goals (e.g., “Spend 5 hours per week on writing”)

Here’s how I use it:

• If I start watching TV, I open Toggl and start a timer labeled “Netflix.” (No judgment zone here! 😅)

• If I write for my blog, I start a timer labeled “Writing.”

• If I doomscroll Instagram, I track that, too (because awareness is key).

And yeah, sometimes I forget to stop a timer and end up with 15 hours of “Reading” logged overnight. But hey, progress, not perfection.

Other Time Tracking Apps You Might Love:

⏳ Daily: Simple & automatic time tracking

📊 Tyme 3: Great for visualizing time data

🕰 Timelines: Best for creating time categories

⏲ Focus Keeper: Pomodoro-style tracking for focused work

Bottom Line: Time tracking isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being aware. Whether you just glance at your Screen Time stats or track every minute of your day, the goal is to understand your habits so you can make small, intentional changes that support your well-being.

Habit Tracking: Small Wins, Big Impact

I used to try and track every habit, which—spoiler alert—was way too much. Now, I keep it simple:

✔ Brush Teeth

✔ Eat a Vegetable

✔ Movement

✔ A.M. & P.M. Skincare

✔ Shower

And my fave habit-tracking apps:

✔ Habit – Best for daily routines

✔ Streaks – Great for habit accountability

✔ Loop Habit Tracker – Best for Android users

Sleep Tracking: Know Your Rest to Boost Your Best

Ever wake up exhausted even after 8 hours of sleep? Turns out, sleep quality matters just as much as quantity.

🛏️ Oura Ring

Tracks deep sleep cycles, FSA/HSA-eligible.

⏰ Sleepwave

Uses smart alarms to wake you at the best time.

Did You Know? Sleep deprivation for 17 hours is like having a BAC of 0.05%! (source)

Period Tracking: Empower Your Cycle

🌸 Stardust App

Tracks symptoms, moods, and syncs cycles with astrology insights.

📲 Other great options:

Flo (AI-powered predictions) | Clue (science-backed tracking).

Your cycle affects your mood, energy, and focus levels—tracking it helps you work with your body, not against it.

Keep Inspiration Close: Design a Digital Space That Lifts You Up

Mindful tech use isn’t just about avoiding distractions—it’s also about intentionally surrounding yourself with inspiration. Instead of letting the algorithm decide what you consume, why not curate a digital world that fuels your joy, motivation, and growth?

Here are three simple ways to make your digital world work for you:

Vision Board Wallpapers: A Daily Visual Cue for Your Goals

Love it or hate it, most of us are staring at screens for hours a day (#guilty). Why not make that time more intentional and inspiring?

Studies show that visualization techniques—like vision boards—can rewire the brain and help reinforce goals. (source) And considering the average American checks their phone 205 times a day (source), that’s 205 chances to reinforce what truly matters to you.

Creating a digital vision board is simple:

📌 Find images that represent your goals (Pinterest is your BFF)

📌 Use Canva or Photoshop to arrange them into a wallpaper

📌 Set it as your phone or desktop background for daily inspiration

✨ Pro Tip: Pair your Focus Modes with different wallpapers! (Ex: A “Motivation” wallpaper for work, a “Calm” wallpaper for evenings.)

Spiritual Support Apps: Stay Grounded & Connected

Whatever your spiritual beliefs, there’s an app for you!

Whether you’re into astrology, tarot, affirmations, mindfulness, or structured religious practice, technology can help you stay connected to your beliefs and personal growth.

📖 Astrology, Tarot & Energy Apps

🔮 The Pattern & Chani – Personalized astrology insights & life planning

🃏 Labyrinthos – Best app for learning tarot & daily card pulls

🔢 LifeCode – Numerology insights for personal cycles

💎 Healing Pal – My go-to for crystal meanings & energy work (iPhone | Android)

🙏 Affirmations & Mindfulness Apps

📲 I Am – Customizable affirmations & a great home screen widget

🧘‍♀️ Insight Timer & Calm – Meditation & mindfulness tools

✝️ Christian & Religious Apps

📖 YouVersion Bible App – One of the most widely used Bible study apps

🎙️ Pray.com – Daily prayers & devotionals

🎶 Abide – Meditation & mindfulness rooted in Christian teachings

✨ Need a more hands-on approach? I offer Spiritual Life Coaching for anyone feeling spiritually stuck!

Curate Your Social Media Feeds for Mental Wellness

If you’re constantly consuming content that drains you (even subconsciously), it might be time for a digital detox.

Here’s how to Marie Kondo your social feeds:

✔ Unfollow & Mute Aggressively: If an account makes you feel bad (even subtly), bye.

✔ Follow Intentionally: Seek out creators who inspire & uplift you.

✔ Use Algorithm Hacks: Engage more with the content you want to see—your feed will adjust!

✔ Turn Off Notifications: Fewer interruptions = less anxiety = more control.

💡 Pro Tip: Try apps like One Sec to force a pause before opening social media—it helps cut down mindless scrolling!

Final Thought: Tech Should Work For You, Not Against You

Technology is a tool—and how it affects your mental health depends on how you use it. By bringing more inspiration into your digital world, you can reshape your relationship with tech and turn it into something that supports your well-being instead of draining it.

Setting Digital Boundaries for Mental Wellness

I used to think “I just need more willpower.” But willpower isn’t the problem—tech is literally designed to keep us hooked.

Here’s how to reclaim control:

1. Website Blockers – Stop impulse scrolling.

2. Focus Modes – Reduce distractions.

3. Curate Your Social Media Feeds – Follow content that supports your well-being.

Pro Tip: Use the One Sec app—it forces you to pause before opening social media. Game. Changer.

Using Focus Mode for Productivity and Wellness

Taking the time to set up Focus Modes on my iPhone was a total game-changer. Instead of being bombarded with notifications all day, I finally feel in control of my attention.

How I Use Focus Modes in My Daily Life

Here are a few real-life examples of how I use Focus Modes to protect my mental energy and focus:

✔ Wind Down Mode (Evenings): Silences notifications except from my Favorites, removes most apps from my home screen, and keeps only bedtime-friendly apps like my Mood Tracker, Podcasts, and Habit Tracking apps.

✔ Day Nap Mode: Only allows urgent work messages from my Teams app and blocks all other notifications. (No more getting woken up by random texts!)

✔ Gym Mode: Automatically activates when I arrive at the gym, updating my home screen to only show Music and Podcasts widgets for distraction-free workouts.

✔ Peaceful Morning Mode: Silences notifications completely in the morning and updates my home screen to show only calming apps, like my astrology and mood tracking apps.

✔ Therapy Mode: Activates automatically when I arrive at my therapist’s office, putting my phone into Do Not Disturb mode to keep me present in my session.

How to Set Up Focus Modes

Both Apple and Android devices have Focus Mode available.

On Apple devices: Go to Settings > Focus, then choose a preset mode (like Work, Personal, or Sleep) or create a custom Focus Mode. From there, you can:

• Choose which apps and contacts can notify you

• Set automations based on time, location, or app usage

• Sync Focus Modes across all Apple devices

On Android: Find Focus Mode in Settings > Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls > Focus Mode. This lets you:

• Pause distracting apps (think: social media, shopping apps, etc.)

• Schedule Focus Mode for specific times

• Use the “Take a Break” feature for temporary app access

Go Forth and Be Mindful, Tech Queen 👑

At the end of the day, technology should work for you, not against you.

You now have the tools to:

✅ Use AI for emotional support

✅ Set digital boundaries for better focus

✅ Track moods, habits, and sleep to improve well-being

Now it’s your turn: Which mindful tech habit are you most excited to try? Drop a comment below!