Probably the most tangible effect of my overuse of technology has been my productivity. As I mentioned in my last post, I can't even imagine how I would have fared through 20+ years of education if I had this access to technology.
I make a to do list nearly everyday. It's how I organize my thoughts, keep myself from being aimless, and most importantly, it's how I break things down into manageable pieces so that I don't get overwhelmed, as I'm apt to do so quickly. What I find, however, is that at the end of the day, I'm not accomplishing nearly as much as I planned. Sure, I could blame it on the fact that I am a mom of two preschoolers. And yes, they occupy a lot of my time, and physical and mental energy. But the truth is, the biggest reason I'm not as productive is because I'm spending too much time on my phone or computer.
I'm prioritizing entertainment. It's not that I believe we should be in "go mode" 24/7, but I believe that entertainment should not be the focus of life. Yet I'm living in a way that says otherwise. My constant "need" to check social media or check out the latest shows to watch is making its way over doing the tasks that keep life running smoothly. "Let me check this one more thing, and then I'll get busy" has become my mantra. Rather than taking a break from my productivity, I'm taking sporadic breaks from the breaks.
Analysis Paralysis. My husband and I talk about this concept often. We both suffer from this condition in different ways. For me, one way is that I spend so much time and energy looking up the best or most efficient way to do something and as a result, don't even do the task. One thing is for sure, the least efficient way to do something is to not do it. Furthermore, I'll be honest and say that my "research" often bunny trails so far off topic that I end up back at the entertainment focus.
Because I'm spending less time accomplishing goals, life maintenance just isn't happening. When that happens, we become reactive to life rather than responsive to situations. I'm sure technology is just one piece of the whole, but for me, I think it's a big piece. And it's a piece I can take ownership over.
What can I do about it?
Make a "Must Do" list. So, a goal I'm setting for myself is to continue with my to do lists, but to plan out my "musts". These are things I will make a priority for the day, and will focus on these items before I let myself spend time on my devices.
Be conscientious in my use of technology. I think this is going to take some discipline and repetition. I've caught myself mindlessly picking up my phone, without any purpose or reason. It's just become a habit of mine. A habit I'd like very much to break.
I want to be intentional with my time, and a big part of that for me is setting aside time to accomplish necessary tasks first so that I have the luxury of down time later, without feeling like I should be doing something else.
If you struggle with time management, what are some tips that you have? I'd love to hear about how you prioritize the musts in your life. Leave a comment!
Next post, I plan to talk about the impact of technology overload on my family.
Until then,
Kelly
My 2 little silly things...
ReplyDeleteMoving from all day nearly non-stop crazy (my job is such that's constant bombardment and interruptions) and into all of the "to-dos" at home just makes my head hurt! I need a little unwind time.
However, I have no self-discipline.
So one thing I've done is when I get home, I immediately put away the stuff I'm carrying in (oh how I so want to just drop it right at the door!) and then set the microwave timer for 15 minutes in which I get to do something like play old school SNES Zelda :-D
Without that timer, I have NO hope of avoiding "aaahhh! How is it 6:30 already and I've done NOTHING!"
It's something so dumb, but works for me.
My other favorite is audiobooks...they are my breath of fresh air and "salvation" during frustrating drives home and then become my reward for working out or cleaning the bathroom (2 of the things I most dislike doing or taking time for).
I intentionally don't typically listen to my audiobook while gardening, though (except when you're at the end of HP VII for the 4th time, all bets are off and you can listen as often as you want :-D), because that's a chance I have to unplug and just hear the birdies and enjoy being outside.
Again, it's silly, but it's a little something that helps me be conscious when it's useful for my brain to take in something other than "I want to ram my car into that guy poking along in the left lane" or "I hate this bathroom and its dirty tile, I hate this bathroom..." :-D.
So yeah, they're really simple, but I'm a 5 year old mind with an 80 year old soul in a 32 year old body, so "rewarding" myself with something that makes the time bearable totally works for me!
And look - they're both technology based solutions! It's NOT all evil! :-D
Thanks for sharing! Of course it's not all evil! It's not a matter of technology being the bad guy here, but how I've allowed it to take root and priority. We really can make idols out of anything, that's something that I've been learning over and over again.
DeleteI think it's super admirable that you haven't become consumed by technology in a technology-consuming society. I think the key here is that you've put it in its place, which of course looks differently for each person.
I love the timer idea, I need to figure out how to incorporate that into my routine!