SMART SOCIAL MEDIA BUILD BETTER HABITS FOR YOUR TEENAGER’S BRAIN
Social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family, stay updated on current events, and cool off after work or school. But, using social media has drawbacks, especially for the developing minds of teenagers. It’s been proven to distract them, disrupt their sleep, and negatively impact their mental health.
Checking social media first thing in the morning also triggers a fresh dopamine reward, creating a cycle of craving throughout the day that keeps your child constantly scrolling for more. RULE NO. 2: KEEP NOTIFICATIONS TURNED OFF! The sound of a notification triggers our brains’ stimulus-response behavior, which is why even you may become antsy when you hear your child’s phone buzzing through dinner. This behavior is also driven by dopamine, meaning your brain rewards you for responding to the stimulus, or in this case, the sound of a notification. And, just like the morning social media, it creates a habit of constantly checking our phones to receive more of the reward. RULE NO. 3: LIMIT AIMLESS SCROLLING. In a study of 460 participants, researchers found that aimlessly scrolling through social media resulted in psychological distress, decreased overall life satisfaction, and diminished mental well-being. If possible, give your children structured time on social media so their scrolling won’t continue for hours. You can also educate your teen on these risks so they can hopefully break themselves out of endless scrolling when they realize it’s happening.
Luckily, you can implement a few simple rules with your teens to make social media better for their brains.
RULE NO. 1: NO SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN THEY WAKE UP. When we wake up in the morning, our brain is still producing a lot of alpha and theta brain waves. These brain waves are associated with deep rest and an almost meditative state, making our brain more suggestible. So, suppose your child uses social media and sees a post that may suggest negative thoughts or behaviors. In that case, they’ll be more likely to absorb and accept that information. Our brains balance out these waves 5 -15 minutes after waking, so it’s a good idea for them to avoid using their device until then. Estate Planning for the Digital Age When they begin the estate planning process, most people have a pretty good idea about the assets they want to protect. They consider their homes, retirement accounts, investments, and heirlooms. But many forget about their digital legacy, which can sometimes be just as valuable. Cryptocurrency continues to grow in popularity, but its unique features present estate planning challenges, unlike other traditional assets. It’s impossible to designate a “Payable on Death” beneficiary for cryptocurrency, and no bank can legally transfer the asset after a person’s death. Any cryptocurrency heir you name in your estate plan will face the difficult task of accessing the inheritance. Since cryptocurrency is stored in secure online wallets or ledgers without personally identifying information, it’s crucial for the owner of the cryptocurrency to leave detailed notes and instructions behind for his or her beneficiaries. An estate plan that does not detail the wallet in which the cryptocurrency is stored and how to access the wallet risks losing the asset entirely. People with cryptocurrency need to engage in a high level of communication about these assets, or the assets will be left unrecoverable in cyberspace forever. Even individuals who don’t invest in cryptocurrency still need a digital estate plan because they lead digital lives. Part of creating an estate plan should be considering who you want to have access to your online accounts. It’s possible to leave responsibility for different accounts to different people as you see fit. You can also name a separate digital executor who is technologically savvy.
Some people may not care what happens to their accounts once they pass away, but their loved ones will. Paying bills, managing subscription services, and accessing online photographs can be an enormous headache without login credentials. It’s wise for everyone to identify and securely catalog all of their online accounts with usernames and passwords with a tool like LastPass or 1Password. Their digital executor can then access and distribute information about the accounts accordingly. The Douglass & Runger team has substantial experience creating effective estate plans for cryptocurrency and other digital assets. If you have questions about the role of online accounts in your estate plan, call us at 901-388-5805 to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys.
2 • DouglassRunger.com
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