1 00:00:07,173 --> 00:00:10,493 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast 2 00:00:10,613 --> 00:00:12,973 Speaker 1: from News Talks, that'd be And. 3 00:00:12,973 --> 00:00:14,893 Speaker 2: You know how we're always bagging on phones. We're always 4 00:00:14,893 --> 00:00:18,653 Speaker 2: saying that phones are bad for mental health. How our 5 00:00:18,773 --> 00:00:25,093 Speaker 2: social media has resulted in everyone having terribly short attention spans. 6 00:00:25,613 --> 00:00:29,213 Speaker 2: How the irony of the digital age, in which everyone 7 00:00:29,253 --> 00:00:32,093 Speaker 2: is supposed to be more connected than ever, is that 8 00:00:32,253 --> 00:00:35,653 Speaker 2: increasing numbers of people feel more disconnected than ever. Well, 9 00:00:35,693 --> 00:00:39,693 Speaker 2: Google Sutherland from Umbrella Wellbeing reckons that is all true, 10 00:00:39,933 --> 00:00:43,773 Speaker 2: but actually it's not a black and white equation. There 11 00:00:43,853 --> 00:00:48,213 Speaker 2: are some real positives that come from phones when it 12 00:00:48,253 --> 00:00:50,533 Speaker 2: comes to connecting with people. And Google is with us 13 00:00:50,573 --> 00:00:50,973 Speaker 2: this morning. 14 00:00:50,973 --> 00:00:53,933 Speaker 3: Hey Google, sure, Jack, how are you? 15 00:00:54,053 --> 00:00:55,293 Speaker 2: Ah? I'm very well, thank you? 16 00:00:55,333 --> 00:00:55,573 Speaker 1: Are you? 17 00:00:55,653 --> 00:00:57,493 Speaker 2: Are you fizzing for the games? Are you into the games? 18 00:00:58,573 --> 00:01:00,213 Speaker 3: I don't know if I'm fizzing for them, but I 19 00:01:00,253 --> 00:01:02,973 Speaker 3: certainly was. I certainly had them on this morning while 20 00:01:03,013 --> 00:01:06,733 Speaker 3: I was pottering about that. Yeah, cleaning up and and 21 00:01:06,773 --> 00:01:09,493 Speaker 3: I'm you know, you do end up watching diving? Sorry 22 00:01:09,493 --> 00:01:14,613 Speaker 3: I haven't seen for four years. Let's watch diving. Weird sports? 23 00:01:14,693 --> 00:01:22,173 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, badminton awesome? Great, Yeah it's funny again. 24 00:01:25,173 --> 00:01:27,213 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's good. I like it. 25 00:01:27,333 --> 00:01:29,373 Speaker 2: I think I think you're speaking for us all on 26 00:01:29,413 --> 00:01:32,293 Speaker 2: that front. Yeah, so, like I say, we you know, 27 00:01:32,373 --> 00:01:35,253 Speaker 2: we do. And I'm guilty of this breaking phones down 28 00:01:35,293 --> 00:01:37,373 Speaker 2: into kind of binary things, right, Oh, it's all bad, 29 00:01:37,413 --> 00:01:39,933 Speaker 2: it's all. But actually there are some real positives. And 30 00:01:39,973 --> 00:01:43,333 Speaker 2: I think that's a really really good suggestion, given how 31 00:01:43,453 --> 00:01:46,253 Speaker 2: regularly we hear about the negative health impacts of loneliness 32 00:01:46,333 --> 00:01:50,053 Speaker 2: and and the impact of phones on loneliness, to actually 33 00:01:50,053 --> 00:01:53,573 Speaker 2: focus on some of the potential positives as well. 34 00:01:54,853 --> 00:01:55,053 Speaker 1: Yeah. 35 00:01:55,053 --> 00:01:56,933 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And I mean if we if you think about 36 00:01:56,973 --> 00:02:00,533 Speaker 3: them phones and social media, that their purpose is to 37 00:02:00,613 --> 00:02:05,093 Speaker 3: connect us. And there was a new Canadian study out 38 00:02:05,173 --> 00:02:11,093 Speaker 3: recently that show that, weirdly, only about a third of 39 00:02:11,173 --> 00:02:16,053 Speaker 3: people reached out and sent a message to an old friend, 40 00:02:16,093 --> 00:02:17,773 Speaker 3: you know, somebody they hadn't talked to for a while, 41 00:02:17,813 --> 00:02:21,133 Speaker 3: even though they had the time, the availability, thought the 42 00:02:21,133 --> 00:02:23,693 Speaker 3: person would be into it, and all that only only 43 00:02:23,733 --> 00:02:28,133 Speaker 3: a third of people actually did, despite us knowing that 44 00:02:28,213 --> 00:02:31,573 Speaker 3: reaching out to old friends is actually a really useful 45 00:02:31,613 --> 00:02:37,413 Speaker 3: way of rekindling social relationships. Yeah, so, you know, but 46 00:02:37,733 --> 00:02:39,813 Speaker 3: it does I think point us to the fact that, hey, 47 00:02:39,973 --> 00:02:42,693 Speaker 3: this could be a way to help combat some of 48 00:02:42,733 --> 00:02:45,013 Speaker 3: the loneliness and isolation that we often talk about. 49 00:02:45,133 --> 00:02:47,493 Speaker 2: Yeah, because it is that great irony, right that in 50 00:02:47,533 --> 00:02:51,933 Speaker 2: this connected age, greater numbers of people are feeling more 51 00:02:51,973 --> 00:02:55,733 Speaker 2: disconnected than ever because there's a real shallowness that comes 52 00:02:55,773 --> 00:02:59,373 Speaker 2: with some of the technologies at our fingertips. But talk 53 00:02:59,453 --> 00:03:01,253 Speaker 2: us through some of these positives then, So, so what 54 00:03:01,293 --> 00:03:04,293 Speaker 2: are the things that might help with connecting with old 55 00:03:04,293 --> 00:03:05,173 Speaker 2: friends for example? 56 00:03:06,453 --> 00:03:09,653 Speaker 3: Yeah, certainly doing a bit of practice that you know, 57 00:03:09,693 --> 00:03:13,133 Speaker 3: this Canadian study kind of was a series of studies 58 00:03:13,173 --> 00:03:14,813 Speaker 3: over time, and they looked at all different sorts of things, 59 00:03:14,853 --> 00:03:16,133 Speaker 3: but one of the things they got people to do 60 00:03:16,253 --> 00:03:21,013 Speaker 3: was practice sending messages just to current friends, current contacts, 61 00:03:21,053 --> 00:03:24,453 Speaker 3: you know, just reaching out normally, sending a text or 62 00:03:24,453 --> 00:03:27,133 Speaker 3: an email or whatever. And then if they found that 63 00:03:27,213 --> 00:03:31,733 Speaker 3: if people had been doing that to current freends, they 64 00:03:31,733 --> 00:03:36,013 Speaker 3: were more likely to then to transfer that and start 65 00:03:36,093 --> 00:03:39,373 Speaker 3: contacting old friends as well. So, you know, I think 66 00:03:39,413 --> 00:03:41,413 Speaker 3: it's one of those things that you're practicing and you're 67 00:03:41,413 --> 00:03:43,373 Speaker 3: get in the mood and I'll just text them as 68 00:03:43,373 --> 00:03:46,173 Speaker 3: well or message them as well. And that seemed to 69 00:03:46,213 --> 00:03:47,013 Speaker 3: be quite helpful. 70 00:03:47,173 --> 00:03:49,293 Speaker 2: Yeah, right, Okay, I mean that that kind of makes sense, 71 00:03:49,293 --> 00:03:52,613 Speaker 2: I suppose, although as a habit building thing that day. 72 00:03:53,813 --> 00:03:56,053 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you're right. I think you know, you 73 00:03:56,173 --> 00:03:58,173 Speaker 3: kind of get into the habit of doing it, You 74 00:03:58,213 --> 00:04:01,733 Speaker 3: get into the groove of doing it. The second another 75 00:04:01,773 --> 00:04:05,813 Speaker 3: thing they found that that is that if you if 76 00:04:05,853 --> 00:04:08,093 Speaker 3: you are and what it would be like. You know, 77 00:04:08,173 --> 00:04:10,853 Speaker 3: maybe you're looking at your contacts or your social media 78 00:04:10,893 --> 00:04:12,973 Speaker 3: and you see, oh, there's old You know, I haven't 79 00:04:13,013 --> 00:04:15,493 Speaker 3: spoken to Brian for Ages. I wonder how he's getting on. 80 00:04:15,533 --> 00:04:17,533 Speaker 3: Oh gosh, wouldn't have been nice if he contacted me. 81 00:04:17,573 --> 00:04:21,613 Speaker 3: So if you imagine getting a contact from them, we 82 00:04:21,653 --> 00:04:25,813 Speaker 3: often feel very positive about that. And so imagine that 83 00:04:25,893 --> 00:04:27,413 Speaker 3: and then flip it around and go, well, if I 84 00:04:27,573 --> 00:04:29,813 Speaker 3: kind of you know, if I think it'll be good 85 00:04:29,853 --> 00:04:31,933 Speaker 3: hearing from him, he might think the same about me. 86 00:04:32,013 --> 00:04:34,013 Speaker 3: Maybe I'll just flick in a text or whatever. So 87 00:04:34,373 --> 00:04:36,253 Speaker 3: you know, put yourself in the issues for a minute 88 00:04:36,333 --> 00:04:38,973 Speaker 3: and and you're like pleading. You know, you're likely to 89 00:04:38,973 --> 00:04:41,813 Speaker 3: get a positive response. That was another thing they found. Yeah. 90 00:04:41,893 --> 00:04:44,053 Speaker 2: Nice, Okay, Yeah, I mean that makes it. That makes 91 00:04:44,253 --> 00:04:46,573 Speaker 2: quite a lot of sense. Again, it requires a little 92 00:04:46,573 --> 00:04:48,733 Speaker 2: bit of habit building, but actually just a little something 93 00:04:48,773 --> 00:04:51,253 Speaker 2: quite simple like that. D just just trying to I 94 00:04:51,293 --> 00:04:54,373 Speaker 2: suppose it's empathy, you know, imagine what that experience will 95 00:04:54,413 --> 00:04:55,333 Speaker 2: be like. Then that helps. 96 00:04:55,453 --> 00:04:59,013 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, And I think the third thing 97 00:04:59,053 --> 00:05:03,253 Speaker 3: I would say is that, you know, looking through your 98 00:05:03,293 --> 00:05:05,453 Speaker 3: contact if you see something that you used to be 99 00:05:05,493 --> 00:05:09,693 Speaker 3: pretty tight wor they're probably a better bet to reach 100 00:05:09,773 --> 00:05:12,373 Speaker 3: out to than somebody that you, oh, we did fourth 101 00:05:12,413 --> 00:05:16,533 Speaker 3: form French together. Yeah, you know, which maybe a bit looser. 102 00:05:16,893 --> 00:05:18,653 Speaker 3: You're still going to get a good outcome. But you know, 103 00:05:18,733 --> 00:05:22,373 Speaker 3: go back to those relationships that were strong. They are 104 00:05:22,573 --> 00:05:28,413 Speaker 3: likely to be the flames that you can rekindle quite quickly. Yeah, which, 105 00:05:28,453 --> 00:05:31,133 Speaker 3: again it seems common sense. But but but the thing 106 00:05:31,253 --> 00:05:33,373 Speaker 3: is about common sense, we often don't know. We often 107 00:05:33,373 --> 00:05:35,533 Speaker 3: think it's sensible, but but we don't end up doing it, 108 00:05:35,613 --> 00:05:36,413 Speaker 3: which is the problem. 109 00:05:36,533 --> 00:05:38,973 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's exactly right. I have another one too, and 110 00:05:39,093 --> 00:05:41,413 Speaker 2: I was before eleven o'clock. I was bagging on the 111 00:05:41,453 --> 00:05:44,173 Speaker 2: family chat on WhatsApp, which was very rough of me 112 00:05:44,173 --> 00:05:46,733 Speaker 2: because actually I'm probably more insufferable than anyone on the 113 00:05:46,733 --> 00:05:51,293 Speaker 2: family chat. But actually I find that group chats are 114 00:05:51,373 --> 00:05:55,293 Speaker 2: really valuable with old friends. So for example, because it 115 00:05:55,333 --> 00:05:58,573 Speaker 2: means that you don't individually catch up with you know, 116 00:05:59,093 --> 00:06:02,373 Speaker 2: it's kind of like it's it's like many birds with 117 00:06:02,413 --> 00:06:03,213 Speaker 2: one stone. 118 00:06:02,973 --> 00:06:03,413 Speaker 3: If you like. 119 00:06:04,213 --> 00:06:05,853 Speaker 2: Yet I don't want to I don't want to sound 120 00:06:05,893 --> 00:06:07,733 Speaker 2: like a bird and catching up with old friends. But 121 00:06:07,773 --> 00:06:10,493 Speaker 2: you know, instead of having to reach an email for 122 00:06:10,693 --> 00:06:12,573 Speaker 2: different people, if you have a group chat and you 123 00:06:12,653 --> 00:06:15,133 Speaker 2: just say, hey, here's something, guys, and then people kind 124 00:06:15,133 --> 00:06:16,933 Speaker 2: of enter it and comment when they can and that 125 00:06:17,053 --> 00:06:18,613 Speaker 2: kind of thing, sometimes that can be a really good 126 00:06:18,653 --> 00:06:20,253 Speaker 2: way to maintain those relationships. 127 00:06:21,253 --> 00:06:24,373 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it's good. It's a really good idea, I think. 128 00:06:24,413 --> 00:06:27,653 Speaker 3: You know, if you translate that into you know, in person, 129 00:06:27,693 --> 00:06:30,453 Speaker 3: that can be a bit outcy sometimes catching up individually 130 00:06:30,493 --> 00:06:33,213 Speaker 3: with somebody that you've seen for a while, whereas if 131 00:06:33,213 --> 00:06:34,693 Speaker 3: you go you know, as you say, if you go 132 00:06:34,813 --> 00:06:36,213 Speaker 3: with a group of people, it's like there's a bit 133 00:06:36,253 --> 00:06:39,333 Speaker 3: more banter and you know, you're not kind of stuck going, well, 134 00:06:39,413 --> 00:06:42,413 Speaker 3: so so what do you what have you been doing? 135 00:06:43,093 --> 00:06:45,693 Speaker 3: You know that that awkwardness gets diluted a lot because 136 00:06:45,733 --> 00:06:49,533 Speaker 3: there's lots of people contributing, and you know, it brings 137 00:06:49,533 --> 00:06:52,133 Speaker 3: back that camaraderie. I think too, It's like Arnest is great, 138 00:06:52,173 --> 00:06:54,133 Speaker 3: we're all kind of getting together. Yeah, I think it's 139 00:06:54,133 --> 00:06:54,573 Speaker 3: a great one. 140 00:06:54,693 --> 00:06:56,973 Speaker 2: And and you don't have to, you know, if they're 141 00:06:56,973 --> 00:06:59,173 Speaker 2: saying if everyone was taking a turn to update each 142 00:06:59,213 --> 00:07:01,573 Speaker 2: other on their lives, you're not. You're just telling the 143 00:07:01,573 --> 00:07:05,653 Speaker 2: story once, you know, here's what's having made. You're not 144 00:07:05,693 --> 00:07:08,213 Speaker 2: saying like I've got to tell Tony, I've got to 145 00:07:08,253 --> 00:07:10,013 Speaker 2: tell Peter, and I've got to tell Rebecca, and I've 146 00:07:10,013 --> 00:07:12,053 Speaker 2: got to tell Justin and you know what I mean. 147 00:07:11,933 --> 00:07:15,893 Speaker 3: Like, yeah, yeah, very much. You can get a bit 148 00:07:15,893 --> 00:07:16,853 Speaker 3: bored with your own voice. 149 00:07:17,093 --> 00:07:20,853 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, and you can kind of, you know, like 150 00:07:20,933 --> 00:07:22,853 Speaker 2: you can kind of, you know, riff off each other 151 00:07:22,893 --> 00:07:25,853 Speaker 2: as we tend to, you know. Yeah, I find that 152 00:07:25,893 --> 00:07:28,653 Speaker 2: it's half in a really good way as well. So yeah, 153 00:07:28,773 --> 00:07:31,613 Speaker 2: very good. Hey, yeah, very good. You have a good 154 00:07:31,613 --> 00:07:34,493 Speaker 2: weekend and we will catch you again. Dogs Otherland. He 155 00:07:34,573 --> 00:07:36,973 Speaker 2: is a clinical psychologist with Umbrella Wellbeing. 156 00:07:37,653 --> 00:07:40,773 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live 157 00:07:40,853 --> 00:07:43,693 Speaker 1: to News Talks d B from nine am Saturday, or 158 00:07:43,773 --> 00:07:45,653 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.