This past weekend, while we were away for the 4th of July holiday, I had a profound realization of how addicted I’ve become to my iPhone. While I love many aspects of how technology enhances our lives and allows us to connect with one another in some very cool ways, I’m also aware of the potential dark side of being so connected technologically that we lose connection with ourselves, those around us, and what truly matters.
In this week’s video blog, I talk about this challenge that many of us face these days. I turned my phone off for 24 hours over the weekend. Although this was simple to do on the surface, it wasn’t all that easy… but some amazing things happened when I did.
Check out the video below and feel free to leave a comment here on my blog about it. You can share thoughts, questions, ideas, insights, or anything else that this video inspires.
Mike,
Thanks for the great reminder about making sure our devices don’t become our lives.
I’m not a great personal connection guy to begin with, so reliance on my devices for communication has certainly kept me at arms length from everyone I communicate with.
Thanks for making me open my eyes from time to time.
Onward and Upward!
KCA
There are definitely pros and cons to using our mobile devices. I personally like having it with me for times like waiting in lines. It makes the time go by more quickly. One of my pet peeves is people who constantly have earphones plugged in and are listening to their own music while working out, jogging, walking around and so on. These are true “isolation devices”. It’s difficult to communicate with anyone while you have earphones stuck in your head. So, for instance, going to the gym used to be an opportunity to meet up with others who are working out, now I feel like I don’t want to bother them because they’re listening to their own music, or an audio book or something.
Thanks Mike,
Shortly after receiving your post, I got the following from Upworthiest.
Louis CK talks about his device and being a dad … definitely something up your alley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkMi_X-Hwgc
There’s something obvious, yet something deeply important about being more mindful about how we use our devices. I’ve been watching my 13 year-old wake up and get his face in his iPhone before his eyes are fully open – like a nicotine addict grabbing his first cigarette.
How much am I like that? What crucially important stuff am I going to get on my device or in my e-mail that couldn’t wait? I’m thinking of going back to Tim Ferris’s advice and limit checking my email to twice a day. That seems like a revelation.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers, Billy
Mike,
Great message and very true. Technology has changed our lives for the good and also not so good. There have been occassions where I have seen entire famlilies out to dinner and everyone was on their device and not talking with each other and I felt sad for them.
Thanks for the reminder! I will be more aware of the time I spend with friends and family.
Love your message, Mike. As a grandma, I’m not quite as addicted to my phone as your generation is. But I do sense there’s an even bigger problem than just checking our devices all the time. That’s why I invited author and addiction specialist Stephanie Brown, PhD to speak at our GaGa Sisterhood meeting this Sunday. Her newest book is called “Speed: Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster — and Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down.” Yes, even grandmas get caught up in needing to be constantly connected and I know we’ll get some good ideas on how to break out of the speed trap!
Thanks to remember us.
Hi Mike; i look forward to your videos. don’t know how i got behind or missed this one. you are so obviously a real person struggling with many of the same issues we do. i wonder if sometimes i should work less and pay more attention to my family. I have noticed more times when i don’t have my laptop open. i don’t have an iPhone or other smart phone and have been thinking of getting one. Now, i am not so sure its a good idea. i have met some nice people at doctor’s offices or waiting other places i too would have missed if I could have ben playing on my phone. thanks for sharing, max