Is the Always-On Use of Technology/Social Media Good For Us?

This post was inspired by recent articles I have read about how those who attempt to multi-task or use electronic devices (smartphones, computers, etc.) while engaging in other important tasks are really not paying attention. Harvard Business Review has had many interesting articles about the use of technology in our world today and how it could be having a toll. Tonight, I read an excellent article by Ari Herzog called "Why Social Media is Dangerous for Your Brain" that talks about how multi-tasking is a farce and we cannot perform multiple tasks at the same time successfully.

With the continued increase of social media becoming part of our lives, it is only getting worse. I am not against social media and love using it everyday to connect and interact with people. I love how these tools enable us to connect with many people and be able to share helpful information with them and vice versa. Even now while I write this blog post, my brain is trying to convince me to stop and see if any tweets came in that I should read. With continued use of social media tools like Twitter that demand our constant attention to read updates that come at us like a fire hose left on, it is no wonder we feel like we can't keep up! I feel we are a pressure-induced society and it is only getting worse as technology continues to penetrate our lives and demand our constant attention.

Many people are amazed that I don't have a smartphone, yet they see my tweets frequently throughout the day. I still have my trusty flip cellphone that I use only to make calls and occasionally send text messages. But even sending and receiving text messages is rare for me. There have been times when I have come close to getting a smartphone with my mind telling me justifications on why I need to have one. When I see others around me with their heads buried in their phones as they text, tweet, or read what is on their phones, I ask myself if I really want to feel tethered to a phone that demands my attention all the time when it is on? Truthfully, to me, it is sad to go to events where people come together to meet and everyone is still so attached to their mobile devices that they ignore each other and text/tweet away without focusing on the present moment. What once was e-mail beckoning to us to read and respond as messages came in is now tweets, Facebook posts and text messages calling out to us.

I know I am slowly learning how to un-tether myself from using Twitter, Facebook, etc. when I am working on my laptop. When you make a habit of always turning on Tweetdeck or checking tweets everyday, it can be tough to change this mindset. Much like there are books out there on how to manage our email overload, where are the books on how to manage the constant flow of social media messages that attempt to flood us? As a society, we need to stop, take a step back from afar, and look at what is going on. Do we really want to allow technology to take over our lives and force us to constantly have our brains engaged?

For those who know me personally, I am an avid hiker and one activity that I love to do with my family is head for the woods, find a trail and hike experiencing nature with all of my senses. When I was growing up, I lived in the countryside and all I did was explore the land around me riding my 80cc motorcycle to soak in the adventures that were all around me. Sure, there was the occasional chases by farmers when I would drive my motorcycle through their farm fields, but overall, it was the best times of my life. I would go fishing in the many ponds near my home and build trails with friends where we could ride our 4-wheelers and motorcycles. On weekends, I would go with my grandparents and aunts/uncles to go camping with them at nearby campgrounds. We would site around the fire and share stories just enjoying each other's presence. As a result, being in nature has always been in my blood. I make every attempt to introduce my kids to nature and bring them outdoors to experience hiking, fishing, camping, etc.

I believe all of us need to dis-engage from technology at times and experience life to its fullest. It is amazing what a few days away from technology can do for your mind! I encourage you to think about how you use technology and start to take action to not lean so much on it in your life. We all managed to survive just fine before cellphones or even the Internet came into our lives, so we should be able to manage the time we spend with technology in today's present age. I am not saying technology is bad, but asking you to think about how much it has become part of your life and how can you reduce its effect on your life with its constant beckoning call to pay attention. Who is with me?