The one thing people might not assume is taking up “space” in their life is technology. You know that thing that is supposed to save us tons of time and effort yet inevitably ends up as a time suck? Yeah, that thing.
My job is built around technology. I build websites and am constantly online. There is so much distraction online that it is often hard to avoid following a series of links down the rabbit hole, only to emerge hours later wondering what happened to my morning. Then there is the fact that technology breaks. And when it breaks, you suddenly realize how dependent you are on it. It is on those days that I wish I had become a farmer instead of a coder.
I just spent almost an entire week fighting a virus on my computer. (Please hold the snarky Apple comments. You’re not going to convert me.) I can’t tell you how many hours of my time were consumed with the frustration of trying to rid myself of the demon so I could once again be productive. One of my many fantasies was taking a sledgehammer to my laptop and hopping on a bus to anywhere.
But even when you don’t have a virus or technology lets you down, it has still become this constant presence that beckons us to distract ourselves (so companies can show us advertising for things we don’t need).
Take a look at your technology consumption rate. Do you need to spend some time minimizing technology in your life? One less hour of Facebook equals an hour of doing something you love like crafting, reading or planning your next adventure.
