It’s easy to think of the internet as being something that’s a gateway to bad habits and mental health risks – especially in regard to becoming addicted to smartphones. However, this can also make it easy to form negative associations with the internet in general, perceiving it as an entirely detrimental thing, even when that isn’t the case.
In fact, there are several ways that the internet can be useful in helping you structure your life and even in improving your mental health. It’s all about identifying the forms of use that can move you away from the negative detriments that you’re worried about.
Access to Services
One of the best-known uses of the internet in today’s world is the availability of online retailers. There are an enormous number of online shopping destinations that can offer you anything from widely available commercial goods to more bespoke arts and crafts from smaller business entities.
This is just one of many different online services you can access, however. It might be that being more aware of the different online businesses set up in digital spaces can allow you to make the most of them.
If you’re cleaning out your home and identifying large items or pieces of furniture that you want to sell, for example, you could look to ATV shipping, something that can also help those who fall into the previously mentioned category of starting their own smaller online business.
Self-Improvement
Perhaps you’re more interested in making room in your schedule for more exercise or mental health practices that can help you find a reprieve from stress and anxiety. You might be aware that there are plenty of apps that offer this kind of help, but this can also be overwhelming due to not knowing which one is best and perhaps becoming unwilling to risk spending money on a service that you’re not sure about.
In this case, you can look to free platforms like YouTube that don’t even require a download. Here, you’ll be able to find plenty of guided videos on how to conveniently exercise in your own home or get started with meditation or yoga. This can even be extended to finding healthier recipes if you’re looking to improve your diet at the same time.
Connectivity
Another much-discussed purpose of the internet is that it makes it so easy to communicate with whoever you want.
There are more messaging platforms than you might know what to do with, and the type of communication can be brought even closer to regular conversation through video calls. Online gaming means that it’s even possible to simply enjoy hobbies with your friends as if you were sitting next to them.
Again, this is a point that can easily be thought of as a potential negative, emphasizing the possibility of digital contact over face-to-face meetups. However, when you live far away from your friends or family, it’s an invaluable way of staying in touch, and it can even encourage some people to travel more as they know it’s easier than ever to simply call their loved ones.
