The promise of technology has always been about happiness in one form or another. Technology aspires to make tiresome chores go faster, to help people get better at their work, and to augment human abilities. And yet, research suggests that technology has a strong negative impact on our lives. We all struggle a little with being human in the digital age.

How can we start designing toward long-term well-being rather than short-term goals of attention and conversion? Just as countries are measuring well-being and companies are looking more closely at employee happiness, technology can...