People are now used to doing things the easy way with help from technology, they can’t even stand a day without having their precious smartphone anymore. Comedian Mark Malkoff recently tried to live a week without using his smartphone, he later claimed it to be the worst week of his life. His video series pretty much sums up people’s addiction to technology. Basically, you are a slave to technology. Don’t be offended. Just think about it.
You Check Your Facebook 50x a Day
How many times you do stop your work and studies to check your social media accounts? How many times do you check your Facebook to read boring updates from your friends? How many times do you tweet about your personal life? I personally know of some people who are addicted to social media. First thing they do after waking up every morning is pick up their phone to check for notifications. According to research done by PEW Internet, it has found that average smartphone user check their phone every six and a half minutes. That’s 150 times a day.
You Check Your Email from the Bathroom
If you carry your smartphone or tablet everywhere you go to check your emails and notifications, then you have a serious problem. Teenagers tapping on smartphones is not a rare sight to see these days. Even when they are out with friends, having dinner with family, all they do is sit in silence holding smartphones on their hands. If you can’t put down your mobile devices just for a few minutes to spend some time with your friends and family, you are definitely a slave to your smartphone.
You Spend Too Much Time on the Internet
Internet is a wonderful place full information and knowledge. If you know how to properly use it, you can learn many things that even schools doesn’t teach. Sadly, other than a few, a lot of people consider the Internet to be a time-pass activity. When they get bored at work, on the way to work or even before sleep, these people browse the Internet for Memes, funny pictures, Reddit posts to kill time. This habit will not only waste you time but also make you addicted to it.
You Google Everything
Google has ruined the fun of discovery and learning. A few years ago we used to visit libraries, find new books, read newspapers to learn about new and amazing things happening in the world. Today, you Google it. Want to write an essay for school? Google it. Too bored to solve a math problem on your own? Google it. The worst thing about today Googling is that even after finding a solution to their problems, people immediately forget those answers because in a way they know they don’t have to remember any information because Google is there to give them answers each time. This is why a lot of students have a low IQ these days.
The Solution
If you truly wants to stop being a slave to technology, PsychCentral offers one simple solution – Turn off all notifications. Get rid of anything that makes your phone vibrate. Plan your day ahead, make a routine and divide time to do your important tasks. For example you can save 30 minutes per day to check social accounts and you can make up your mind to only check email twice a day. It will be hard at first, but once you get used to it you will begin to enjoy life beyond the virtual tech-world.
Do you think we will be slaves to technology in the future? Leave your thoughts in the debate at Discuss.fm.
