Page 17 - The Brain Health Guide

THE BRAIN HEALTH GUIDE
Tip #3 - EmbRaCE TEChnology
Many new technologies exist today that allow people to
communicate with a variety of people instantaneously. By using
these new communication tools in the right way, networks of
people can learn to collaborate globally, discussing ideas and
arriving at possible solutions. You might seize on a problem,
learn about it, and find what others are thinking. Many decry
that social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter are
a waste of time, keeping us from communicating properly
with each other. Perhaps these social networks deserve a new
perspective—what if we’re using these new technologies to
better ourselves and the world? Strange as it may seem, using
social networks as a means of positive change can build a sense of
community among people working toward a common goal—a
sense of community that goes well beyond the neighborhood.

Tip #4 - balanCE TEChnology WiTh REal-lifE inTERaCTions
While people of all ages use today’s communication tools to
share information or to be aware of where they’re supposed
to be next Thursday at 9 a.m., for example, some have made
social networking a way of life.

And while much of this new order in our lives is good, research
shows that many people spend too much of their time making
use of the sophisticated tools at their disposal. A significant
percentage of the population are using multiple apps and
programs at a time, an effort that can be seen as both negative
and positive.

Multitasking involves the part of the brain that governs social

12 ChapTer 3