The swimming champion and TV personality loves using social media, but is all too aware of the negative effects it can have on people’s self-esteem and communication skills
Paralympic Champion Ellen Keane is announced as Ambassadors for Holland & Barrett’s new Back Your Body campaign, a nationwide initiative encouraging people across Ireland to take a more proactive approach to their health.(Image: .Picture Andres Poveda)
Ellen Keane is a big fan of social media – but is all too aware of the downsides of it.
The Paralympic champion uses her following to raise awareness for causes close to her heart, but knows the value of putting the phone away too.
The swimmer has also seen the effects of social media on communicating in person.
Ellen told RSVP Magazine: “I love social media, I think it’s so fun.
“It’s so important in this modern age for education.
“April is Limb Difference Awareness Month so last month I used it to tell my story of having one arm and educating others on it. That is the good side of social media.
“Obviously there is a bad side of social media, like the hours you can spend doom scrolling.
“I do love it, but I do see the cons of it and understand that they are huge.
“I find it scary how people don’t know how to communicate without their phones.
“I have come across people with big followings online who don’t know how to talk in person and that’s scary.
“As much as I love it, I’m also a big advocate for putting the phone away.”
Ellen doesn’t use her phone in the company of others, but notices a difference when she’s on her own.
“I’m really good at putting it away when I’m in the company of others,” she told us.
“I’ll always keep an eye on people around me to see if they have their phone out.
“I’ve been single for nearly a year now. When I was in a relationship, my screen time was a lot lower than it is now [laughs].
“The more time I’m on my own, the higher my screen time goes.”
Ellen uses a very handy device to make sure she doesn’t get addicted to her phone.
She explained: “I have this device called Brick. There is hardware and software.
“The hardware is like a little cubed magnet which you can put anywhere in the house. The software is an app you download and select which apps you don’t want access to and at what times.
“When you ‘brick it’, you have to physically go over to the hardware and tap your phone on it.
“If you have the Brick downstairs and you’re in bed, you’re not going to go downstairs to reactivate the app you’ve blocked.
“I have that as a little control, because I’m aware of how addictive my phone can be.”
Exercise is the best way for the Ireland’s Fittest Family coach to switch off from technology and social media.
Ellen said: “The number one way I switch off is swimming, because you can’t have your phone in a pool.
“Walking my dogs is great too. I have one dog and when he is off the lead in a park, I have to keep an eye on him because he will run away and not come back.
“I constantly have to check on him. If I look at my phone for a split second while on a walk, that dog is gone!
“I also think people need to put the phone away at the gym.
“Exercising can be a vulnerable thing to do and the gym should be a safe space and I get so stressed out when I see people filming themselves in the gym, knowing there’s people in the background who didn’t consent to it.”
Read the full feature on celebs and social media in this month’s issue of RSVP Magazine, on shelves nationwide now.
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