The Real World Really Is Interesting
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Since the beginning of public access to the Internet, technological advances in information have skyrocketed. Never at any other time in history have people been able to stay connected with people half a world away with the click of a few keys, share important announcements to all of their friends at once, or be able to access every kind of public information possible from a remote location with just a cell phone. The possibilities seem almost endless, and they keep growing.
With any kind of technological advance, unexpected challenges arise. The invention of the steam engine came with more efficient work, but it also created a way to pollute the air in huge amounts. With the advent of the Internet and all of the gadgets that can easily access it, we now are faced with greater distractions from the real world, potential addictions, wasted time, and dependence upon Internet-capable devices. This kind of technology can literally take over our lives and disconnect us from real communication. It doesn’t need to, and it won’t, if people are diligent about making real life a priority. There are ways to make technology only a part of our lives, and not our entire lives.
Don’t Make Your Cell Phone Your Top Priority
Cell phones and social media have made communication with others much easier and much quicker. However, they can also become the only way an individual communicates with others. Have you ever had someone pull out their phone to text somebody else while you are talking face-to-face with them? It’s annoying! It’s like they’re not even listening! Well, they are, until they get a notification or a text. Then you take a back seat to someone who isn’t even physically there.
Cell phone etiquette needs to be observed. Nobody wants to sit behind a person who pulls out his or her cell phone during a movie or child’s concert. The lighted display of the screen can be unbearably distracting.
When talking to someone who is actually present, make that person top priority? When at a movie or performance, make watching it the top priority. Unless you are expecting an emergency, texting somebody back a few minutes later or letting his or her call go to voice mail will not hurt anyone.
Give Yourself Time Limits
If you find yourself wasting several hours a day on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, online games, or other electronic distractions, you might want to consider giving yourself a time limit for each. Little time wasters can become big time wasters if they are not kept under control. There is even a web site called iwastesomuchtime.com where, ironically enough, many users waste a lot of time looking at memes and videos for laughs. How much can you do on Facebook or Pinterest for half an hour? Or even twenty minutes? You can like many statuses, giggle at dozens of memes, and pin several ideas for future projects that will probably never get done in just a small amount of time. There is no need to stay up late doing much more than that.
Ask Yourself, “How Many Notifications Do I Need Every 60 Seconds?”
You also might want to take into account how many notifications are being sent to your email or your phone. Do you really need to know immediately every time somebody likes your photo that you just posted on your timeline, when you know full well that you will be logging in to Facebook later that day? Turning off needless notifications can help you get rid of that dependence on constant news from the online world, and it will help you prioritize your modes of communication.
Bring Yourself Into the Real World
We in the modern age need to remember that there really is a real world out there. Instead of spending too much time pinning ideas for projects on Pinterest, you could complete one of your already pinned projects. Instead of posting on Facebook how badly you want to go hiking, you could just…go for a hike! The possibilities are endless. Social media and other Internet advances are truly remarkable, but there is just no substitute for going outside of your house and enjoying the world around you. Don’t forget that the real world really is interesting.
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Madison Resare and Helen Ontiveros are content creators who enjoy writing about technology, social media, and lighted displays.
