Today, advanced technology plays a more significant role in the life of the average individual than it ever has before. We’re all becoming more and more accustomed to using high-tech tools, gadgets, and devices in order to manage our lives and help us to relax and unwind, as well.
Although many of the technological devices that we are surrounded by today are extremely useful and uplifting, such as electric cars and mobile devices that allow us to stay in touch with distant loved ones, it’s also the case that many of these devices can be a real problem, and can cause us to lose track of time, to procrastinate, and to experience various negative side-effects.
In recent years, for example, a lot has been said about the potentially negative and addictive effects of the leading social media platforms.
Here are just a few guidelines that you can use to help ensure the technology you’re using ends up enriching your life, as opposed to causing you problems.
Look for tools that emphasize simplicity, and that “get out of your way”
Ideally, your tech devices should serve as tools to help to enrich your life in one way or another. These devices should not end up hijacking your attention, or causing you excessive stress or preoccupation as a result of using them.
The best principle to keep in mind here, is that you should look for tools that emphasize simplicity, and that “get out of your way” as much as possible – specifically so that you find them easy to use when required, and then to put away, when you’re done with them.
Any apps, tools, or services that seem to want you to invest more and more of your time in them are likely going out of their way to try to monetize your awareness for advertising revenue.
Use tools that harness your natural inclinations for good, rather than for bad
A lot has been written and said about the modern “attention economy”. This relies on essentially hijacking your natural inclinations, often through techniques borrowed from the gambling industry, in order to cause you to spend as long as possible and a given app, or using a certain tool or product.
You should certainly limit your exposure to these kinds of apps and tools. But, you should also keep in mind that there are other tools that harness your natural inclinations for good, rather than for bad.
Visually appealing habit trackers, and fitness-promoting apps and devices are a great thing to look into, in this regard.
Take advantage of wellness-focused apps and devices
Increasingly, there are a wide range of different apps and devices on the market today that are specifically there in order to help you to enhance your sense of well-being,technology and to help you to better deal with the stresses presented by everyday life.
Whether in the form of a Peloton bike, meditation tracking app, or any number of other things, you should certainly take advantage of these apps and devices to help make well-being a more manageable and motivating part of your everyday routine.