Put down the computer, slowly... easy now. Hand over the iPhone, come on, you can do it... now, carefully log out of Facebook.
Usually I praise technology for all the ways it enhances my life and empowers me. Lately, I am feeling guilty about my love - and overuse - of tech. My dependence on staying connected is eroding the real connections in my life. (I write this on my computer of course, but my family is sound asleep!) While I know that staying connected is important to keeping on top of my industry and furthering my career, I need to care enough about my family to disconnect. I work on my MacBook Pro all day, and I bring it home with me most nights. After we put James to bed, I sit on one side of the couch on my computer while Shaun is on the other on his. Logging on is the first thing we do each morning and the last thing we do at night.
There’s no way I can go cold turkey and let's be honest it's just not practical. Limits are good though. We do it for our kids, and I need to put some limits in place for myself before I completely alienate the real people in my life.
Goal #1: No more surfing the web or logging in to social network sites while James is up and about in the morning/evening. If I feel the need to connect, I need to get up before him, have my coffee, check in on the world and then close the computer. Anything between the time I leave work at night and the time he goes to bed can wait. The world will carry on without me.
Goal #2 I need to talk to my husband each night to discuss our day and any family concerns before we turn the TV or computers on.
Goal #3 Driving and checking email don’t mix. It’s even illegal in Illinois now which should help me avoid doing this. Ignoring the “ding” of an incoming message will be difficult... I think it’s time to tweak that setting.
Goal #4 Make a phone call. I pledge to pick up the phone and call someone the next time I feel the urge to write on their “wall”, IM them, text them, or email them. I miss actually talking to my friends and family.
If you have any limits in place for time spent on tech in your house - whether for yourself or your kids - please share!
Usually I praise technology for all the ways it enhances my life and empowers me. Lately, I am feeling guilty about my love - and overuse - of tech. My dependence on staying connected is eroding the real connections in my life. (I write this on my computer of course, but my family is sound asleep!) While I know that staying connected is important to keeping on top of my industry and furthering my career, I need to care enough about my family to disconnect. I work on my MacBook Pro all day, and I bring it home with me most nights. After we put James to bed, I sit on one side of the couch on my computer while Shaun is on the other on his. Logging on is the first thing we do each morning and the last thing we do at night.
There’s no way I can go cold turkey and let's be honest it's just not practical. Limits are good though. We do it for our kids, and I need to put some limits in place for myself before I completely alienate the real people in my life.
Goal #1: No more surfing the web or logging in to social network sites while James is up and about in the morning/evening. If I feel the need to connect, I need to get up before him, have my coffee, check in on the world and then close the computer. Anything between the time I leave work at night and the time he goes to bed can wait. The world will carry on without me.
Goal #2 I need to talk to my husband each night to discuss our day and any family concerns before we turn the TV or computers on.
Goal #3 Driving and checking email don’t mix. It’s even illegal in Illinois now which should help me avoid doing this. Ignoring the “ding” of an incoming message will be difficult... I think it’s time to tweak that setting.
Goal #4 Make a phone call. I pledge to pick up the phone and call someone the next time I feel the urge to write on their “wall”, IM them, text them, or email them. I miss actually talking to my friends and family.
If you have any limits in place for time spent on tech in your house - whether for yourself or your kids - please share!
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