Cyber-Life vs. Real-Life
Posted by Helena Smole in Relationships on Dec 8th, 2014
Who is really free as a bird in our new technology world?
If they take away all one’s real-life interaction with people, one cannot blame them. If one’s battery is empty and one is so reliant on Garmin or Google Now that one does not even know which part of the city one is in, one should not blame technology either.
Before Facebook, Twitter, Garmin and Google Now there was TV that could totally occupy somebody and even before TV there was the phantasy world of books.
There are many things you can do to avoid new technology addiction:
1. Reserve some time, e.g. the evening after 19pm, when your mobile phone, your PC and all similar devices are switched off.
2. Switch off your phone, when you are having coffee with a real-life friend.
3. Switch off all computer-like appliances, when you go to bed.
4. Be creative and use old technology, when appropriate: e.g. send a paper postcard from your holiday destination or a self-made paper Christmas card.
5. Do nature walks with a switched-off phone in your pocket.
6. If you need a break at work in an office, it is a lot better to stand up and look through the window for a while instead of checking your notification on social sites.
7. If you feel you are already addicted, you will need stricter measures. For example you can »allow« yourself to be on social sites only for half an hour, when you come home from work and half an hour on weekends.
I can tell you about my version of addiction prevention, but I must warn you: it is drastic. I do not own a mobile phone or any other portable gadget. When I exit my apartment, I am technology free.
What are your ways of staying in contact with your real-life-world? Comments welcome!
Take care,
Helena Smole, author of Balancing the Beast, a book offering a bright view of schizoaffective disorder ˗ bipolar or manic-depressive type
One Response to “ “Cyber-Life vs. Real-Life”
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There is another thing you can try. It has to be the evening, so you can turn off all the lights and burn some candles. Put on some soothing music. A CD-player works best. However, if you are not using this old technology anymore, make sure not to stare in the screen of your gadget. Put it away from you and look at the candles. You can do this alone or in company. Either way you can talk or be silent. Just go with the flow. I tried this last night and it was fantastic.