Blurred Lines: Digital Well-Being and Boundaries for Entry-Level Residence Life Professionals

The pervasive use of smartphones has altered the ways that entry-level, live-in residence life professionals engage with their work. This qualitative study examines the self-perceptions of digital well-being among 16 live-in professionals as they navigate their work/life balance. Rooted in Shah’s definition of digital well-being as the integration of personal health and relationships in digital settings, this study analyzed how participants identified positive and negative impacts of engaging in digital activities and became aware of ways to manage and control those activities to improve personal mental, physical, and emotional health. Three primary themes were identified after analysis of the data: navigating job expectations, establishing and managing boundaries, and practicing self-care through digital behavior change. These findings provide insight into how entry-level, live-in professionals might be empowered to manage their digital well-being to increase job satisfaction and prevent burnout.