In today’s hyper-connected world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant flood of digital distractions. Social media, video games, and online platforms are an integral part of modern life, especially for teenagers.
Tanya Goodin’s The Teenage Guide to Digital Wellbeing addresses these challenges head-on, offering a practical and insightful guide designed specifically for young readers.
The book doesn’t advocate for abandoning technology altogether, but instead encourages teens to strike a healthy balance between their online and offline lives.
Reading it as an adult, I learnt a lot from it too. I think it’s an important read for those of us who did not grow up with the internet and are now trying to navigate it with our children while having zero experience of using it in our own teenage years.
The book, broken down into twelve chapters, which could be read over the course of a year, covers a range of important themes, which all contribute the digital wellbeing:
Habits and goal setting
The book advises readers to think about the sort of person they want to be in the future, what they will do for a living, what values and beliefs they will have, and how their friends will describe them.
The aim of this exercise is to set goals for the future, then practice habits today that will help achieve them, a little like the Future Self Now post.
Examples of goals are included to help with the exercise, such as wanting to read more, or spend more time with friends. The idea of creating a vision board to display these goals in visual form is also recommended.
On habits, the book talks about what healthy daily habits are, such as exercising for good physical and mental health, and explains that these are deliberate, conscious actions and decisions that are made every day to help their dreams become possible.
By identifying priorities and setting achievable goals, teens can create a healthier digital lifestyle that complements their offline well-being.
Distractions – Persuasive Technology
There is an insightful section on persuasive technology, which explains how tech companies develop tricks and apps to encourage users to keep scrolling on phones and tablets longer than we intend to, such as the ‘auto play next video’ on platforms like YouTube.
The key message here is that online content is deliberately designed to distract, which will keep them from pursuing the healthy habits they need to pursue their goals.
Self-esteem and comparison culture
The book contains a wonderful chapter on the importance of loving yourself, which is an incredibly important message for teens to hear. I love that there is content covering the importance of liking yourself, what high self-esteem looks like, and what can affect your self-esteem, such as social media.
The importance of knowing your strengths is also highlighted, as this can help build and maintain self-esteem, along with the damaging effect of comparing yourself to others, which is so easily done scrolling on social media.
Comparing yourself to other people and losing sight of the wonderful qualities that make you uniquely you is something you should always try to stop yourself from doing.
Useful for teens is the section on the importance of sleep, how it underpins everything we do, and how tempting it is to check devices when they are left in bedrooms overnight.
Fake news and critical thinking skills
The book very helpfully educates the reader on the fact that not everything on the internet is true, stressing how quickly false and misleading information can be spread.
Tactics used to create these types of false and fake content include anything that evokes strong emotions, that attempts to blame organisations or individuals for things they are not responsible for, that creates conspiracy theories, or where someone in a position of authority is being impersonated.
The reader is encouraged to use critical thinking skills when assessing whether content is fake or not, including giving consideration to who has created it, why they are sharing it, whether they are trying to manipulate, and whether the information can be fact-checked.
Cultivating Real-World Relationships
In addition to managing their digital lives, Goodin encourages teens to nurture friendships and family relationships both online and offline. The book discusses what makes a good friend, the importance of clear communication and active listening, and looks at how to handle disagreements.
All of this helps teens understand that true, meaningful connections are often built face-to-face away from screens.
Understanding resilience
There’s an excellent chapter on resilience – what it is, why it’s important, and how it can be built and nurtured through healthy habits, tackling challenges, inner strength, emotional regulation, and more.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from challenges and setbacks. It’s the quality you need for handling life’s ups and downs and it’s something that will help you both offline and on – an important part of your digital wellbeing.
The advice given for building resilience across a range of different areas in invaluable. Goodin then delves into resilience online discussing topics such as bullying, cyberbullying and trolling, as well as staying safe online.
Practical Tools and Activities
What sets this book apart is its interactive nature. Goodin includes activities and exercises that allow teens to reflect on their digital habits and make practical changes. Whether it’s keeping track of daily screen time or practicing digital detox, the book offers actionable steps that teenagers can take to improve their relationship with technology.
Why This Book Matters
In an era where smartphones and social media dominate teenage life, The Teenage Guide to Digital Wellbeing offers a much-needed breath of fresh air. It doesn’t preach digital abstinence but rather a mindful approach to using technology in ways that benefit mental health, personal relationships, and productivity. As Tanya Goodin puts it, the goal is to help teens live their best lives—both on and off the screen.
The guide is particularly relevant for parents, educators, and young people themselves, offering practical wisdom in an accessible format. Whether it’s learning how to manage digital distractions or understanding how to build a healthy online presence, this book is a valuable tool in the journey towards digital wellbeing.
For teens who want to take charge of their digital life without feeling overwhelmed or isolated from their peers, The Teenage Guide to Digital Wellbeing is an essential read .
