I realize that times change and that each generation does things differently from the previous one. I also understand that the world around us requires us to change the way we do things. However, I do believe that with all the technology created to make our lives easier, we actually allow ourselves to be even busier than we were before. It’s about how we choose to handle that.
Obviously, things change over time, usually a long time, so that we don’t even realize it’s happening. The goal of these advances is to allow us to do more in less time. However, I think we’ve taken that free time and filled it with more things to do, usually online and usually through our phone. Yes, we do more, but I don’t think we’ve gained anything because we’re not using it for the things we want to do; we just keep adding more stuff that we think we need to do. I think we’re now so addicted to filling our time that we just don’t know any other way. Every spare minute we have, we reach for our phone or laptop. We always have to be looking at something, reviewing something or doing something (usually more than one thing).
I certainly am not opposed to any of these developments. However, I believe that there is still a place in our lives to stop and look for other options. I think we can use this technology to our advantage, but also make sure that we use that advantage to maintain our humanity. I would like to suggest that you stop and assess situations to see if it is always the best use of your time. Sometimes it’s better to be in the moment and enjoy it for exactly what it is.
I know we all agree that multitasking behind the wheel is a bad idea, but I also know that most of us still do it. I’m not saying just texting and driving, but making and receiving phone calls, even on Bluetooth, is a distraction. The conversation itself is a distraction. How hard is it now to get through a red light without checking your phone to see what you’re missing? When we’re in meetings at work, people are busy checking their phones or running back to their desk and grabbing them afterwards. When was the last time you met a friend for lunch or drinks and just sat down and talked? I come across parents walking their children in strollers and the adult is on the phone, allowing for zero interaction. When the children are playing in the park, the father is sitting on the bench talking on the phone or checking his messages, emails or applications. Children learn by talking to us, through interaction and play. I see the same thing happening in supermarkets, restaurants, department stores, and various events. People go through the motions of doing things like shopping or watching a kid’s sporting event, but they also get distracted by doing something else. I get it! I am guilty of it too and usually regret it right away when I do. We all have to do as much as we can in a day, right? Sometimes we have to answer calls or manage a problem. All I’m saying is that there may be good times NOT to multitask if you can. Now might be a good time to think about how we want our world, our relationships, to look like in a few years, and how our next generation will handle it.
Our children are learning how to behave by interacting with the adults around them. We are the ones who set the expectations, the ones who take the time to teach them what is right and what is wrong. Children are so smart that they learn just by watching what we are doing and they learn a lot! If we want to change something in the way we manage this technology, now is the right time to do it. Now is when we can make changes in the way our own children will handle it. Once again, please don’t get me wrong; there’s definitely a time and a place to wear these things and I know we need them, but it’s important to pay attention to the people we’re with. It is important to give our full attention to driving and our work. Giving ourselves permission to be in the moment is important. So enjoy that sunset or that game or that conversation without doing anything else! We all need time to think, to turn everything off and pay attention to what is really important to each of us. After all, that’s what all this technology was developed for, right?