“Be thankful today and think about how rich you are. Your family is priceless. Your health is wealth. Your time is gold. "~ Unknown
The other day I read a science fiction story by Ray Bradbury called "The Pedestrian". It's about Leopard Mead, a television-centric citizen who likes to go for a walk at night.
The routine finally brings him a cell in a psychiatric center because nobody understands why he is doing this. In the TV-dominated city, people don't walk. They're too busy gluing their eyeballs to their screens.
I wonder if there will be a day when technology takes over us all, where we become so dependent that non-digital activities are considered abnormal. A reasonable act is considered insane.
Perhaps the television-centric society is not fiction, but already here. Many of us today can no longer live without a phone, laptop or iPad. Their presence is so crucial in our routine that their absence creates discomfort.
We do not only use digital devices for information consumption. We let them guide our lives. The first thing we do in the morning is pick up the phone to read e-mails, read messages, and reply to text messages. We work more than eight hours a day with our laptop. At night we surf more on our cell phones and don't stop until after midnight.
Our whole life is digital. We cannot afford to lose our devices. Technology is more than just a means of communication. It is a tool for life. We need it for work, relaxation and entertainment.
The costs are alarming.
How does technology affect us?
1. It devastates our well-being.
Working in front of screens for hours puts a strain on our eyesight. Overexposure to blue light leads to lack of sleep and exhaustion of the body. Not to mention the pressure our back and neck have to withstand when we sit in one position for too long.
Constant surfing on the Internet also makes us more susceptible to bad mood and negative thinking. It's not hard to know why. The media is littered with bad news.
And while we might think that watching TV or YouTube videos can lift our spirits, it only helps us to temporarily escape negative feelings. As soon as we stop looking, we're back in the black mood. We'll feel even more bored, irritable, and depressed.
2. It ruins our relationships.
Spending more time online also means less time for those who interest us most. Instead of playing with our kids, talking to them, or putting them on an ice cream, we devote ourselves to phones or laptops. Most of the time it is just useless to surf the Internet, read junkie messages, surf on Facebook, write text messages.
3. It kills time.
Time may seem plentiful, but it is not unlimited. At least our time is not unlimited. It flies at lightning speed. One day we'll look back and wonder where it's gone.
All this precious time that we could use to create the beauty of the world, to observe, to contribute, we waste everything to scroll thoughtlessly.
4. It loads us with information.
If you think the time you spend consuming information online makes you happier and more knowledgeable, think again.
A wealth of information is a curse, not a blessing. More content is being written now than ever before. But it doesn't help us achieve our goals any faster. On the contrary, it slows our progress. We get overwhelmed and confused in the sea of content. Instead of following one resource, we may use too many and get lost in the process.
For example blogging. There are hundreds of resources out there that teach us how to blog. If we are not satisfied with one, we can always switch to another. Trying too many strategies at the same time can lead to mistakes.
5. It makes us too lazy to think.
Information is so available, why worry when the answer we need is just a click away? And not just one answer, millions of answers are displayed when we hit the search button.
How can the impact of technology on our lives be reduced?
I used to be addicted to the internet. I like to write and spend most of my time scribbling on my phone or iPad. I could get lost in online articles, blogs, and e-books for hours. Often times, when I got tired of writing or reading, I would mindlessly browse the Internet – read junk news, watch YouTube videos, etc. There was a time when I liked to stay inside. I had no idea why. I just didn't feel like hanging out with friends. I loved working and hanging out by myself.
It took me a while to realize that I had missed a large part of my life. While the internet is nice, it cannot replace the real world. If I stopped browsing for a second, I would see that there is a whole world to explore, new hobbies to learn, interesting places to travel to, and wonderful friends to share my happiness with.
So I decided to give up a lot of my time online. It was difficult at first, but when I did it I wondered why it had taken me so long. I started hanging out with friends more often, taking yoga classes, afternoon walks, and cooking meals for my family. Suddenly, I felt deeply happy in my offline hours.
I have to admit that I used my digital devices a lot again during the quarantine, mainly for work and connection. But I have more control over my internet usage. I use it more carefully now.
You can do that too. As hard as you think your tech addiction is, you can reduce it if you want.
The key lies in consciousness. Are you using your digital devices deliberately or just wandering around mindlessly?
In my experience, besides work and targeted communication, most of our digital time falls into the latter category. Digital devices are our scapegoats for negative emotions. We surf on Facebook when we get bored. We watch TV when we are depressed. And when we're stressed out, we surf the internet to forget our current struggle.
Do they improve our mood? Sure, but only for a moment. After consuming them, we actually feel worse. Boredom, depression, and stress are now associated with guilt and shame.
So be aware of your feelings and take good care of them.
How?
Stop tuning in to the television or the phone when you feel bad.
Instead, take part in an activity that raises awareness. Take a few deep breaths, go for a walk, see nature. You might want to practice meditation. A great meditation app that I recently discovered is The Plum Village. It's 100 percent free and full of helpful exercises to get you back in touch with your body.
How about we use technology to work and relax? How can we use our digital devices without being controlled by them?
Again the key is mindfulness.
Here are some tips on how to work carefully:
Do one thing at a time.
Here is a great habit I learned from the great eBook Focus (completely free) by Leo Babauta, founder of Zen Habits: Start your day by writing down three important tasks. Let them do one by one. Take as much time as necessary for each task, but avoid multitasking (e.g., you may not be able to review your email inbox every fifteen minutes). When working on the laptop, all you need to do is open a tab or two while you work. This will help you stay focused and finish your job faster.
Set a time to consume.
Consuming means reading e-mails, replying to text messages, making calls, reading books, etc. Here's the fact: you cannot work while consuming. You get distracted and end up spending more time than necessary to complete a task.
Separate the two processes: consuming and working. Concentrate on your tasks while you work. Don't switch to Facebook or email. Reading blog posts is also not allowed. Instead, set a specific time for these activities. For example, you can check email at 11 a.m. and browse Facebook from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. when you're done.
Disable notifications.
Switch your laptop to silent mode. Also, keep your phone out of sight. This will prevent distractions (phone calls, text messages, etc.) from reaching you.
Use pomodoro techniques.
Concentrate on the task for 25 minutes. Then take a five-minute break. Repeat until you have finished your tasks.
A few more ideas to limit your digital time:
If you haven't read an email in days, sign out. Keep only the bare essentials.
Less watching TV. Instead, watch meaningful movies. Or spend the extra time with a family or read a good book.
Limit or stop reading messages on your phone.
Do something that you are passionate about. If you have no hobbies other than work, cultivate one. Learning languages, playing an instrument, cooking, walking. There is a lot of choice. Just pick one and get started.
Hanging out with friends.
Enjoy a walk in nature.
Read physical books.
Practice meditation.
Technology doesn't have to take responsibility for your life. You can continue to use technology without being consumed by it. The key is to be careful. It will not be easy. But be persistent. Take one step at a time.
About Naomi Pham
Naomi is a free spirit who hopes to have a significant impact on the world through her writing. Her current interests are healthy living, mindfulness and creating newsletters. Follow her Twitter for daily recordings.
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