The Pros and Pitfalls of Technology
Today I am grateful for reminders to slow down and enjoy the holiday season rather than be consumed by it. I am also grateful for easy recipes and all the writing avenues I have.
One of the opportunities that makes me a paid and published writer is the monthly column I write for our local newspaper. I get paid $30 per column and have been writing it for about four years. I am both proud and humbled when someone mentions to me that they enjoy reading my column. I truly appreciate the opportunity to keep fresh the idea of practicing gratitude.
The column is called "Gratitude Flow" and here is December's effort:
One of the opportunities that makes me a paid and published writer is the monthly column I write for our local newspaper. I get paid $30 per column and have been writing it for about four years. I am both proud and humbled when someone mentions to me that they enjoy reading my column. I truly appreciate the opportunity to keep fresh the idea of practicing gratitude.
The column is called "Gratitude Flow" and here is December's effort:
“The Pros and Pitfalls of Technology”
As part of the over-50 crowd, my comfort
level with the various forms of technology at our disposal is mixed at best. Computers,
cell phones, email, social media, blogs, flat-screen televisions, and more are
regular parts of my life; some just personally, some as part of my job. We live
in the “Information Age” driven by the “Digital Revolution.” It is amazing and
mind-boggling and I appreciate it in numerous ways.
Sending a text to a friend or family
member is a quick and easy way to connect or figure out details like where to
meet for coffee. My writing pursuits are time-efficient and reach more readers
on blogs. It’s nice to know my running mileage from a recent run with the
convenient app on my phone. (I just discovered the other day that my “Health”
app includes a mindfulness component. I will be using that more.) Google
searches help me find answers to many questions almost instantly. I may be a
digital immigrant, but I have embraced this new territory quite a bit.
On the other hand, all of this technology
and easily accessible information makes it hard to keep pace with today’s
world. Neuropsychologist Dr. Rick Hanson, author of Buddha’s Brain and Hardwiring
Happiness, refers to it as “being fire-hosed” by information; a fitting
analogy for the overload of material at our fingertips. It can be overwhelming,
exhausting, and drown out what really matters.
If we are honest, much of the
information we are inundated with isn’t that important, though the providers
would like us to think otherwise. It comes down to our individual choices. Like
all areas of life, balance is crucial. The time spent with and emphasis given
to our high-tech gadgets is a key to our overall wellness. Is it too much? Not
enough? Just right? These questions will be answered differently by each of us.
Framing technology use in the
context of gratitude helps me maintain balance. Facebook and blogging allow me
to more easily connect or reconnect with family and friends, reading the
gratitude lists and writings of others and sharing my own. I appreciate seeing
pictures and getting updates on life events. Text messages and emails are both
consistent inlets and outlets for my gratitude pursuits. A few words or lines
back and forth and I have a good boost.
Yet, it can easily become a time trap, or
what I refer to as “getting sucked into the vortex.” Start reading emails or recent comments on
social media and it is easy to lose track of time. It can also chip away at a
grateful mindset. Seeing snippets of people’s lives and vacation pictures can
make it seem like our own lives are lacking. Seeing the next best thing in
terms of clothes, a recipe, or a must-see movie begins to erode our peace. We
start to wonder if we should be doing and pursuing more, losing sight of our
own priorities. To safeguard against this trap, I never stay too long on social
media and I refrain from comparing my insides to other people’s outsides.
Besides being a potential time trap,
technology use also steals our attention. How much are we missing when we are
plugged in versus unplugged? If someone is always looking at a screen of one
kind or another, what else are they missing around them?
Have you ever wondered what good we could
do if we put even some of the time and energy that we give to our gadgets in to
other pursuits? Like cleaning a closet
and donating items or going out and doing community service for others in need.
Or putting our thought energy into finding solutions that will help contribute
to the greater good. Gratitude tends to get us out of ourselves. Screen time
tends to isolate us.
Technology is a tool, not an end-all. I try to set my own healthy boundaries. I encourage you to do the same. For my family and I, taking intentional breaks from technology includes tech-free sleep areas. As parents, we have a responsibility to set boundaries for our children and help them find a healthy balance. Our future, and theirs, depends on it. Where we put our time and energy determines the pace of our days and the type of impact we leave on the world around us. Simply ask yourself this question: Is my technology use impeding or aiding my gratitude flow?
Technology is a tool, not an end-all. I try to set my own healthy boundaries. I encourage you to do the same. For my family and I, taking intentional breaks from technology includes tech-free sleep areas. As parents, we have a responsibility to set boundaries for our children and help them find a healthy balance. Our future, and theirs, depends on it. Where we put our time and energy determines the pace of our days and the type of impact we leave on the world around us. Simply ask yourself this question: Is my technology use impeding or aiding my gratitude flow?
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