Life with Technology in 2019

Maybe you’re overworked.

Maybe you feel like you try SO HARD but are never good enough.

Maybe, you solve a problem or accomplish a task (YAY!) and then you see five more issues that weren’t visible before. You feel like you went backwards.

Maybe you don’t want to get out of bed at all. Even small tasks zap your energy.

Maybe your Instagram is full of smiles, workouts, and a perfectly organized desk. It’s everything you thought would make you happy… but actually, you’re miserable.

I took a road trip this weekend, and during the drive I listened to the book Twelve Ways Your Phone Is Changing You. The more I heard, the more I became convinced of three truths:

1. Our phones are fantastic. We use them constantly because they are so cool! Remember ten years ago when we used items like calculators, maps, dictionaries, CD players, stamps, cameras, alarm clocks, and wristwatches? Our phone has all but replaced everything I just listed and more. Think of how much time we save, and how much less stuff we need!
2. Our phone habits are destroying us. We procrastinate work by opening the Facebook app (goodbye, time saved). We scroll through strategically-placed content that tells us we NEED to buy the advertised item (hello, unnecessary stuff). As a result, we are unproductive, unfulfilled, and feel like we are less than enough.
3. Thirdly, friend, we are all navigating these waters together.

Bottom line? We all struggle, and YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

The world in 2019 is vastly different from just a few years ago. I believe that some of the coping skills we learned as kids (how to manage our emotions, how to deal with boredom, the way we relate to others) have to be relearned in the new digital age. No wonder we’re all struggling!

We’re constantly plugged in, running on a hamster wheel to show our life highlights to gain validation. In turn, our highlights that we worked so hard to perfect will make someone else feel like theirs aren’t good enough. And the cycle will continue, unless we decide to step off the hamster wheel.

If you’re struggling with feeling enough, I encourage you to unplug for a bit. When your emotions are getting out of control, practice what your parents taught you as a child. Instead of squashing them down with Instagram or venting online, leave your phone in the other room and grab a journal instead. Or call a friend to talk through what you’re feeling. Find the root and deal. with. it.

When you find yourself bored in line or in a waiting room, do some people watching. Get lost in your thoughts. Pray. Resist the urge to pull out your phone at the first sign of a free moment… instead, give yourself some space to breathe.

Relating to others may be the hardest step, because if someone else isn’t on the same train… it can get awkward. Strike up a conversation with a stranger, but if they don’t want to talk to you, just be fine with it. IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S THEM. 😉 Even more importantly, intentionally avoid pulling out your phone when you’re spending time with others face to face. I’m extremely conscious of this, but I also have trouble resisting the urge to check it if there’s a lull in conversation.

I’m 100% convinced that our relationship with technology will improve if we take advantage of its recourses, but think critically about ways it harms us and TAKE ACTION to prevent damage. We’re living in a new world, and we’re all trying to navigate it together. You are not alone.

If you liked this post, check out other posts in the Motivation Monday series!

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