iPods, iPads, Blackberries, DVRs, Kindles and more – all fascinating forms of technology.
As the technology era continues to explode, there’s something interesting that’s exploding with it. Stress.
With the increase of technology, there was supposed to be an increase in the ease of which we are able to live our daily lives. Yet, instead of making our lives easier and less stressful, we find ourselves in bondage to stress from technology.
Easier or More Stressful?
Everywhere you go, people are glued to technology like what is now called the Crackberry. Life is getting busier and people are more stressed out than ever before.
While technology is able to make our lives easier, the misuse of technology is what’s causing stress. For example, high speed internet helps you to obtain important information is seconds. Yet, getting sucked into spending hours on the computer in the black hole of the internet leads to stress from technology that is steadily increasing.
In spite of the risk of finding yourself stressed from abuse of technology, you need not return to the ice age. There are things that can be done to keep technology from ruling your life.
Symptoms of Stress from Technology
Yes, it’s easy to get sucked in to spending endless hours wrapping yourself in technology. Surfing the web, chatting it up for hours on Twitter or Facebook, and watching one YouTube video after another are examples.
This overuse of technology can cause problems like headaches, eye problems, and sleep deprivation. These physical symptoms lead to a backlog of responsibilities, a breakdown of family relationships and poor performance on the job.
So how do you fix it so that technology isn’t ruling your life?
Determine what’s best for your life
Just because the latest technological gadget is made available for sale, doesn’t mean you have to buy it. What works for one person’s life doesn’t mean it will work for yours.
One family may find having a DVR indispensable because they can more readily control what their children are watching on television. In another case, a single male may find having a DVR enabling him to become a couch potato.
Some people’s lives are made easier with iPhones. Others find that this latest form of telephone technology causes them undue stress. So, before investing in the latest and greatest new technology, determine if it will fit in with your lifestyle and if it will make your life easier or more complex.
Set some boundaries
Simply, establish time limits when using technology. Kitchen timers work very well for reminding you when to get off the computer, the TV or the high tech game system.
Let’s say you set a time of one hour on the computer or television. Stick to it. Once that timer goes off, shut everything down so you won’t be tempted to overspend your time.
Establish Technology-Free Areas
There should be specific places in your home where you are completely disconnected from technology like the bathroom and the dinner table.
In addition, disconnecting from technology in certain areas in your home, establish certain times where technology is to be out of commission. Perhaps you could designate an hour before bed where you just read (an actual book that’s NOT online) or play cards.
Whatever your desired time of the day, establishing boundaries around the use of technology will allow you to relax and unwind. Consciously disengaging also helps you to foster stronger bonds with your friends and family, while reducing your stress levels.
Technology can be the source of some of your greatest assistance or the source of your biggest stress. Find the right path to using technology wisely and you won’t find yourself battling stress from technology.
Mom to a multiply disabled little boy, Michelle Howard Smith provides a ton of information and products on ways to reduce stress. She offers the Stress Less newsletter [http://www.antistressandpain.com/newsletters/subscribe] for special needs parents.
