 Slaves
To Technology
by Laura Hess
Do you remember what life was like
before answering machines, faxes and cell phones? It was simpler and,
yes, I'm dating myself. (I remember having only one phone in the house
for a family of six.) Still, it hasn't been so many years since most
of us had just one phone in the house.
In those days, if somebody called you and you weren't home, they
called back and hoped to get you later. If you happened to be on the
phone they got a busy signal and still had to call you back when the
line was free. They were responsible for getting to you and delivering
news or messages important to them.
Then came answering machines. When you weren't home your callers left
a message with the expectation you'd call back as soon as you got
home. The assumption was the message was as important to you as to
them and you'd, of course, return the call quickly. And how upset did
callers become (and still become) when you didn't return the call
quickly? Their message on your machine somehow relieved them of the
responsibility of getting through to you and transferred it to your
shoulders.
Now we have the internet and email and people expect instant responses
when sending email. No matter that you aren't sitting in front of your
computer 24 hours a day just waiting for their email in.
It's all gotten out of hand and we are becoming slaves to technology
more every day. Not only is technology changing our world at an
unprecedented rate, we are struggling to keep up. We have access to
more information than we could possibly need. We can send messages
across the globe and "talk" to people on the other side of
the world. We are running a technology race and we're going to lose if
we continue to run it. There is a way to win, though. It requires some
major shifts on your part and I guarantee it's worth it.
Look first at what your patterns are now.
Answer these questions:
1. Do you think that you are a slave
to technology?
2. Do you check your email first thing in the morning before
anything else?
3. Is the answering machine your first destination when you come
into the house from being out?
4. When the phone rings, do you run to answer it? Do you feel guilty
if you don't?
5. When you're home and in the middle of a conversation, a task or a
meal and the phone rings, do you stop to listen to the message
instead of just letting the machine do it's job?
6. Do you feel compelled to answer emails and return calls as soon
as you get them?
7. Do you carry a beeper and jump to respond to each message?
8. Do you talk on a cell phone when you're having lunch with
somebody else (or in your car or when you have any kind of
non-committed time)?
9. Do you have call-waiting and interrupt telephone conversations to
check who else might be calling you?
10. Do you feel totally overwhelmed by the volume of calls and
emails you think you have to return to people?
If you are being honest, most of you
will answer yes to at least three of these questions. Even one
"yes" is a red flag, though, and means you are a slave to
technology to some degree. It's not a right or wrong. It's a trap
you've fallen into and it's time to get out. Wouldn't you rather shed
all that and take back control of your life?
Choose the one behavior described in the list above that seems to be
the most consuming and distracting in your life. Decide you're ready
to change it. Then:
1. Define how the behavior interferes
with the flow of your life. Distractions always inhibit your ability
to be highly productive and being a slave to technology is a
distraction. What do you stop doing to respond to the beeper or a
ringing phone?
2. Notice how the behavior makes you feel - anxious? Obligated?
Frustrated? Overwhelmed? You have a choice - just as you allowed
technology into your life, you can choose just how much you want it
to be part of how you live each day. You can choose something other
than the negative, limiting feelings. However, first you have to
notice and be aware of what those feeling are.
3. Begin changing your responses and choices to technology. When the
phone rings, let it. Don't jump up from the table or run from
another room to pick up. Let your answering machine do its job. Stop
wearing your beeper. Change your cell-phone number and don't give it
to anyone else. Make a point of not checking messages first thing in
the door. Look at your email once or twice a day and answer it then.
Get rid of call-waiting - take control.
This is a change process and will take
time - like all change. One step at a time. It was easy becoming
enslaved and it won't be so easy to free yourself. Technology does
have a place in your life. It just can't consume your life if you want
balance, peace and freedom. Life is possible without the demands of
technology. You can step away from your computer, turn off the phones
and truly enjoy your life. Take a vacation without leaving home by
just turning it all off. It might take you a few days to get used to
this - not unlike being on an away-from-home vacation. You can do it
and when you "come back," remember how it feels to have no
demands from technology. Let technology back into your life
selectively. Return to simplicity. Love your life.
You can contact Laura Hess at laura@sparckint.com
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