Relationship with technology
“Life is often passing us by as we have our head down looking at our smart phone” is a quote I recently read by an anonymous writer that struck a chord with me. I am guilty at times, as many of you are, to fitting this quote to the max.
Beyond the phone, what is your relationship with technology? Does it encompass your life or merely aid it? Does it distract you, or does it help attract and connect you to more of what life is all about?
Is technology really helping us to the extent that it is also robbing us of what life truly is about? As with anything, BOTH cases can be true dependent on your relationship with your technical devices. I am not advocating the removal of technology by any means, but simply to take inventory as with all other relationships and evaluate what you find. Remember, when a old device dies or is replaced, a mourning period, ceremony, and countless memories cannot be shared and compared to that in which a true connection with an animal, human, etc can be.
Technology has allowed us to evolve as a species immensely due to the connecting powers that technology provides. It has allowed us to speed up and organize mundane tasks. It has allowed us to do, think, and create what used to be thought of as impossible. It has allowed us to connect and learn from others all around the world using an array of technology and social media.
But, what if you look too much to these technical devices to take the place of your own working brain? It may tell you what to eat and how much versus what your body is intuitively telling yourself. Are all of these fast paced “convenient” apps really creating more space for us to fill our day with, without allowing us time to be still and listen to what our body is attempting to teach us.
What if our connections that once were in person, are all now behind the screen of Facebook, twitter, email, and texting? Games that used to be played together with real cards and board games are now games like words with friends and candy crush, where you still connect with others, but again it’s all from behind a technical device?
Time spent outside with nature is now replaced with indoor “naturesque” video-games by riding a bike on a video game, playing football or basketball by a video game using the technical control’s help.
All of these ways of connecting are highly inventive and amazing beyond belief. However, if your relationship with technology isn’t balanced, to the point where you can’t remember life outside of the devices, maybe it’s time to start setting limits on how much time you spend dedicated to these devices.
Get outside of your devices and connect with one another the way we are meant to. This doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your devices, but again the key is BALANCE. A computer or technical device can never replace that of human connection, merely because it lacks what we all encompass, a soul. Take inventory on how balanced your relationship with technology truly is. If it overriding human connection, maybe it’s time to reevaluate ways in which to get more human interaction within your life. Consequently, this might just enrich your life!
Click here to read the article online in The Elwood Call Leader.
Megan Church
CEO of MangoFuel LLC
mangofuel.co
mangofuel3@gmail.com
765-620-9227