Helpful research

links from brief

Smartphone addiction is one area that is a particular concern. Nokia says the average person looks at their smartphone 150 times a day! There’s a simple test you can do to assess whether you need to start thinking about how much you use your phone.

Our devices and internet are set up to clamour for our attention. Each notification more urgent or interesting than the last one, which serves to distract us from the activity we were originally doing. This effectively trains our minds to have split or scattered attention as we surf from email to internet, back to email, internet, text and so on. This is detrimental to our ability to apply attention and focus on one thing at a time and can increase stress, fatigue and lower productivity.

Screen savvy is about being aware of how our technology time affects us, our relationships and other parts of our lives. It’s about making sure we keep a check on things and ensure that we have the balance right.

Being away from our screens for short periods has many benefits.

Overall, it allows us to slow down and focus on the things that matter most, like enjoying the outdoors, spending time with loved ones or giving something new a go. Those things lower stress levels, improve relationships and boost wellbeing.

https://allright.org.nz/articles/finding-balance-becoming-screen-savvy/

Technology has some wonderful benefits. I use it almost every day. And I would never, ever argue against the responsible use of it.

However, that being said, it is becoming increasingly obvious that our world is developing an unhealthy attachment to it:

• 84% of cell phone users claim they could not go a single day without their device. (source)
• 67% of cell phone owners check their phone for messages, alerts, or calls — even when they don’t notice their phone ringing or vibrating. (source)
• Studies indicate some mobile device owners check their devices every 6.5 minutes. (source)
• 88% of U.S. consumers use mobile devices as a second screen even while watching television. (source)
• Almost half of cell owners have slept with their phone next to their bed because they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss any calls. (source)
• Traditional TV viewing eats up over six days (144 hours, 54 minutes) worth of time per month. (source)
• Some researchers have begun labeling “cell phone checking” as the new yawn because of its contagious nature. (source)

putting your phone down reduces FOMO, jelousy, envy.

Life, at its best, is happening right in front of you. These experiences will never repeat themselves. These conversations are unfiltered and authentic. And the love is real. But if we are too busy staring down at our screen, we’re gonna miss all of it.

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/unplug-please/

How do Millennials learn and get engaged?

Research-based methods

Millennials prefer a broad spectrum of learning strategies. The concept of learner-style is more pronounced in this generation. They prefer learning materials that are delivered to cater to their visual, auditory and even kinesthetic needs.

They need to experience change in delivery formats to maintain interest. Their attention spans are shorter – they quickly move on to other forms of learning. Their ideal learning environment involves less lecture and more collaboration with peers. Group-based projects that emulate the work environment (authentic assessments) are ideal for these learners.

Relevance

Millennials are aces at “googling” and discovering information. They do not value a piece of information for its own sake, rather for its relevance to their lives. Trainers will find millennials engaged in hands-on or application-based case studies, where new knowledge is discovered and synthesized actively between group members.

Rationale

Baby boomers or generation X-ers respond well to an authoritarian teaching style. They follow orders for the sake of complying with commands. On the other hand, millennials were raised in a less authoritative environment – where decisions and actions were constantly justified. Flexibility and recognizing the socio-emotional rationale behind new ideas and processes are expectations of millennials. When trainers and instructors provide the rationale behind policies and regulations in a learning environment, these young learners are more likely to respond positively.

Relaxed

Think “laid back” when you conduct your training sessions. Millennials prefer a relaxed learning environment, with minimum pressure, more freedom to complete assignments and also more freedom for personal expression and creativity.

eLearning course mentors need to create a warm, empathetic, “no wrong answers” collaborative environment.

Rapport

Millennials strive on personal relationships. When being raised, they had complete attention from their parents. They are used to older adults showing more interest in their lives. They prefer and appreciate instructors showing a personal interest in their training and development plans and achievement goals.

https://www.efrontlearning.com/blog/2016/03/5-strategies-to-engage-the-millennials.html

Mellennilas love Authenticy!
We want to have fun!
We love Collaberation!


 78 percent of millennials would rather spend their hard-earned dollars on collecting experiences rather than things. Unsatisfied with the status quo, they seek out the new, the unique and the exciting.

APPEAL TO THEIR SENSE OF ADVENTURE

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/245077

Nostalgia

“a preference (general liking, positive attitude, or favorable affect) toward objects (people, places, or things) that were more common (popular, fashionable, or widely circulated) when one was younger (in early adulthood, in adolescence, in childhood, or even before birth).”

If you can elicit a sense of nostalgia in someone they are more inclined to spend more money, perhaps by buying an expensive event ticket in the first instance, and also to donate more money. It seems that transporting someone back to a bygone time can demand a premium price tag, which people are willing to pay for a special and unique experience.

http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/the-power-of-nostalgia-for-events

Nostalgia is much more than mere reminiscing; it’s a feeling. “Nostalgia is the warm, fuzzy emotion that we feel when we think about fond memories from our past,” explains Erica Hepper, Ph.D., a lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Surrey in England. “It often feels bittersweet — mostly happy and comforting, but with a tinge of sadness that whatever we’re remembering is lost in some way.”

A lot can be said for nostalgia’s benefits. In a 2012 study published in the journal Memory, Routledge and his colleagues showed that nostalgizing helps people relate their past experiences to their present lives in order to make greater meaning of it all. The result can boost their mood and reduce stress. “Nostalgia increases feelings of social connectedness to others,” he says. “Nostalgia makes people feel loved and valued and increases perceptions of social support when people are lonely.”

“When we experience nostalgia,” Hepper explains, “we tend to feel happier, have higher self-esteem, feel closer to loved ones and feel that life has more meaning. And on a physical level, nostalgia literally makes us feel warmer.” In addition, in an August 2013 study published by Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Hepper and her colleagues showed that nostalgia can produce increased optimism about the future.

And consider this: Your nostalgia can affect those around you. Hepper says after nostalgizing, people donate more generously to charity. And sharing a nostalgic conversation with a friend, family member or romantic partner makes you more supportive and considerate, and less argumentative.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/05/benefits-of-nostalgia_n_4031759.html