Isn’t it great that we have modern technology to simplify our lives. Or is it?
I’m self-employed and spend much of my time at the computer. Modern technology is fantastic in the way it has helped me save time and effort on many tasks, such as banking, finding information on any subject online, paying accounts, quickly correcting typing mistakes and instantly connecting with people around the world. Technology has helped me to simplify my life.
On the other hand, technology has complicated my life. While at my computer I found I was often distracted with emails, Facebook, news and sports bulletins, on-line articles and blogs. It’s insidious.
A while back I read about an author who does not use email and has no phone in his office, so there are no distractions. I thought, :how great that would be, I’d love to be able to do that”.
Then the penny dropped. Of course I could, it was simply a matter of turning off my phone and not opening the internet or emails until it suited me.
This led me to critically analyse my online habits. I realised that by scanning most news and sports headlines, without reading the full article, I could still be informed about what was going on in the world and save a hellava lot of time.
Similarly I recognised that the majority of online articles I read were of little value to me and I was really indulging in distraction. And is the sky going to fall in if I don’t instantly respond to emails? Probably not… and if it does, then it doesn’t really matter. So, I turned off the indicator that signals when an email arrives and now check emails twice a day, which is plenty.
Then there is Facebook… the ultimate timewaster. Rather than drop Facebook, I decided to scroll rapidly and speed read, without getting caught up in it. This alone saved a huge amount of time. In turn, I slashed what I posted to Facebook, thus doing my buddies a favour by reducing the amount of distraction in their lives.
Yet more importantly, why had I been distracting myself? What was I distracting myself from?
Through the presentations by Serge Benhayon from Universal Medicine I realised that I was using distractions to numb myself to hide from and not accept the absolute love that I hold within. By doing so I held back from being open and willing to share and receive love.
It was as if I felt I was not worthy, hence I used distractions as a means to bury and keep me further removed from love. Crazy?!
The technology was not the problem. I was.
So now I’m choosing to use technology as a tool, rather than be numbed by the endless distraction technology can offer. It’s simply a matter getting on with life.
I’m making progress… which is my cue to stop typing right now.
By Rod Harvey, Gold Coast, Australia
333 Comments
When I think of social media I can see how technology has played a massive part in dropping standards, lowering the bar and allowing abuse to be the norm.
Technology has caused many problems in life because people can hide behind anonymity and say what they like, and because it hasn’t been policed sufficiently and there are those who scurrilously misuse it. As you say Rod, it’s not the technology, it’s up to the user who must discern how, when, how much to use it so that it enhances our lives, not destroys them.
It’s crazy how we can spend hours on social media and not accomplish anything. Sometimes I go on Facebook and I give myself 15- 30 minutes to catch up with my relatives (thankfully a small family). It’s all designed to hook us in and then spend hours reading things that have no true value.
Technology has huge potential to support us in our everyday lives but we are the ones who have the choice whether we use it responsibly or use it to check out. We can justify as much as we like but the reality is that we know when we are being productive and when we are checking out.
A great realisation and understanding, yes, its how we are with ourselves and then with technology, ‘The technology was not the problem. I was.’
If anything soical media had led us to become more unsoical than ever before!
I know from my own experience that I feel more disconnected to myself and others after staring at social media for an extended period of time.
So true Leigh we have amazing tools but we need to discern when to use them and when face to face communication is more appropriate. So much on social media is portraying an aspirational lifestyle which is unachievable for many.
Great to keep technology in its place, and not let it run your life, ‘So now I’m choosing to use technology as a tool, rather than be numbed by the endless distraction technology can offer.’
For me there is almost a correlation to how often I check my phone for emails or go online on my computer with how I am with myself. The more I am focused and feel my body filled with love and my movements made with love the less technology I use as distraction but to support me.
It is so true – we forget we are in charge!!! The technology does not have legs, it does not chase us! So turning off notifications and actually not opening mail when working at your computer is a great first step to reclaiming your time and space.
In the end we can always find something to distract us from feeling, accepting, and living the amazing love that we all have within us, whether it be via computers, a hobby, excessive work, or exercise. It comes down to beginning to take care of ourselves in a way that we begin to feel that self-loving way is our natural way and that anything that hinders, numbs, or blocks the connection with our essence does not belong anymore.
Sometimes we tell ourselves that we are using Facebook as a way to catch up with our relatives, see what’s going on but let’s face it we only post what we want people to see and not what’s truly going on. No amount of Facebook checking will be able to replace having a proper conversation with our loved ones.
I realised that checking Facebook was using 80% of my data on my phone. I could recognise that I was going to it like a drug almost. A nervous energy constantly checking it but I wasn’t even sure why, it is not like there is anything super exciting on it. I have since deleted it from my phone and it has made a huge difference to my day. I don’t feel owned by it or am not using it to seek relief.
Technology is what we make it – curse or blessing. If we become dependent, use it to numb and desensitise ourselves we are its slaves; if we use it wisely, it can become our servant.
Is it is what you think about technology ?
Mobile phones are more addictive than slot machines and very similar to them in many ways too. That said, it is not the technology that is the problem. It is the choice to distract ourselves that we need to deal with.
You need to be 18 in most places to get into a betting shop or casino. These days most school children I see have smart phones. It’s a medium for addiction that is not yet realised or widely controlled.
It feels lovely having a lid on my new phone as I close the lid whenever I feel I need to focus on some work without being distracted.
Technology, like anything temporal we have access to in this day and age can be utilised for evolution or for comfort or distraction. It is always a matter of how what the quality of our approach, as the purpose behind all our actions is what leads us to the quality of life we experience.
“Through the presentations by Serge Benhayon from Universal Medicine I realised that I was using distractions to numb myself to hide from and not accept the absolute love that I hold within. By doing so I held back from being open and willing to share and receive love.”- This habit I can absolutely relate to, as I have noticed lately that there is a pattern I tend to fall into that whenever I am feeling more connected to my true inner self and am having a greater sense of awareness to what is going on in my life and for other people I tend to distract myself with things on the internet almost as if it is some reward for myself doing so well and feeling great. But the irony is that this quickly makes me feel yucky as if I am just wasting my time and life away via pointless distractions and information that in the end will not serve anyone. This blog surely helped me to see some of the reasons I may be doing this.