Apple CEO Tim Cook on why hes limiting his screen use

Apple CEO Tim Cook on why hes limiting his screen useApple CEO Tim Cook on why hes limiting his screen useApples CEO Tim Cook gave a candid interview to Ina Fried and Mike Allen on HBOsAxioslast night about thenegative consequences of using technology unchecked, and - notably - the CEO admitted to reducing his own screen use.When asked if technology was being used for evil, Cook said Technology is good or evil. .. depending upon the creator. Many times, its not that the creator set out to do evil, he explained, its that there wasnt an anticipation of these negative things it could be used for. Technology should amplify human wertzuwachs and human experiences, he told the duo. He also shared his thoughts on how he manages his own screen time, the way he de-stresses, and how Silicon Valley could do better by women.Hes creating healthier iPhone habits for himselfThe tech executive, who told Fried and Allen that he wakes up at 400 a.m. every morning to read user comments and assess wh ats important to Apples users, admitted that hisScreen Timestats were high. But he also emphasized that the time he spent with his screen was on the downswing. If you look at my trends over time, my notifications are declining and the number of times that I pick up a device are declining. He attributes those positive declines to his increased awareness of how hes been using his phone via Screen Time The only reasonis because weve built this functionality in our operating system and I now know what I was doing.He responded to concerns about techs impact on well-beingIn response to whether or not Apples devices increase loneliness and detachment, Cook replied I dont think the products themselves do, but I think our customers and usersare worried about the amount of time they are spending on their device or the distraction level of it. What we decided our role was is providing people the information and the controls that help them change their behavior, he said.Studies, in fact, demons trate greater knowledge of a particular subject can inform better decisions and positive behavioral changes.He uses exercise to de-stressAfter he explores user feedback from 400 a.m. to 500 a.m., Cook exercises I go to the gym and work out for an hour because it keeps my stress at bay, he said.Studieshave, in fact, demonstrated that not only does exercise reduce stress, it can alleviate symptoms of depression, improve cognitive function anddecrease risk of heart attack and strokeby between 40 and 70 percent.He knows that improving the male-to-female ratio is key to Apples successCook said in the interview that he thinks Silicon Valley has done a good job of recruiting talent from all walks of life, but noted I agree 100 percent from a gender point of view that the Valley has missed it, and tech in general has missed it. He assured the reporters that Apple is dedicating a lot of energy on how to balance the male-female ratio. We are constantly asking ourselves How can we improve mora ? Cook said, also noting that hes optimistic about the future of better gender representation in the tech force Im actually encouraged at this point that there will be more marked improvement over time, he emphasized. Apple and other tech companies stand to gain a lot by employing more women.Several studiesindicate that companies with a larger pool of female employees and more women on their boards of directors outperform those with far fewer.Thisarticlefirst appeared onThrive Global.