It seems that the more gadgets we have that were all touted as being able to de-stress us by keeping us up to date, the more stressed out we have become. People walk out of their houses on their phones, they drive while checking their emails, and walk down the street while texting someone.
You know, there is something to be said for not knowing everything right now. Wouldn’t it be nice to walk down the street to your local store and actually watch where you’re going? Take time to see the trees, the insects, and the birds as you go by? Being able to drive in your car and enjoy the view, what a simple pleasure we take for granted. Sometimes we’re trying to talk to one person while texting someone else. Gone are the times when you had someone’s undivided attention, and enter the times when our lives have become one multitasking session after another.
Being detached from the grid from time to time can be very de-stressing, unless you start stressing about not knowing. There are two things we need to do in order to live low tech in this high tech world.
1. Don’t get caught up in the hype. You don’t need to upgrade every time. Believe it or not, the tech we have can last years and years, and most of the time, our needs don’t change that drastically to warrant getting the latest tech anyway.
2. Understand that there is, and will always be, something better than what you have, so just be satisfied with what you do have, and don’t focus on what you don’t have.
We get up in the morning and check our smart phones and or tablets before we talk to our significant other. We can send a quick email, check the weather and the news all before we say “hey” to our partners. There used to be time for talk before we leave the house, but now the only talk we hear is “I’m late, gotta go.”
This high tech driven society definitely has it’s advantages, and there are some technologies that really make life a joy to live, however, all this tech has come at a price. Instead of connecting one on one, we end up connecting one on three, or one on five, as we try to connect to everything and everyone at once.
We cannot escape this high tech society in which we live, and neither should we try to, but what we should try to do is know which tech we need and which we don’t. Lets stay connected with our family and friends, but lets not loose the joy of enjoying life. Let’s control our tech, instead of our tech controlling us. Let’s enjoy the sun, the rain, the breeze, as we also enjoy our loved ones, and the gadgets that keep us connected. Lets try to understand which tech gadgets will give us the balance that will truly allow us to be low tech in a high tech world.