Technology has provided a connection that often proves beneficial. Thanks to social media, you can keep up with friends and family no matter the distance. With the Internet, you can find information about news, products, and situations to keep you educated and informed. However, technology is something that consumes our lives daily, which also makes it harmful. It is harmful for our work-life balance, relationships, and even our safety. It is important to recognize the harmful impact technology can have on our lives so we understand why it is important to unplug and take a break.
A work-life balance refers to the balance between your job and home life, or school and your home life. Since technology is such a big part of the world we live in, we stay hooked up to devices throughout the day while working and in school. Many schools use laptops or iPads that they loan to the students throughout the year. In fact, David Nagel from The Journal points out that almost a third of students in middle school and high school used mobile devices issued to them by their schools (Nagel). We could argue that technology is force fed to us, but we would be lying if we said we didn’t enjoy it. In truth, we gobble up what it is technology offers without hesitation. Work and school life carries enough stress by itself. Technology adds to that daily stress. When you think about it, you have to learn how to operate new technology as they roll into the school or office. According to Kermit Burley from Hearst Chronicle’s website, you must learn new programs and software (Burley). You must hope that technology works as it should so you can get through your day. Of course, technology is not failproof. Unfortunately, the stress caused by technology at work and school tends to continue throughout the day, which means you are more likely to bring that stress home with you.
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Another good reason to consider unplugging from technology is for the sake of your personal relationships. According to a Daily Mail article, mobile technology users are unable to leave their devices untouched for six minutes, which means they check their device roughly one hundred fifty times per day (Spencer). The time that mobile users spend in front of their devices to foster relationships with others is time that they are not using to support relationships with people right next to them. Technology usage reduces the amount of time partners spend with one another. From reduced intimacy to reduced communication, technology slowly destroys relationships between families, friends, and couples. In today’s society, you can ask your child how it is they are doing in school and they will likely refer you to their daily blog post, Facebook status, or Instagram picture. Of course, parents are just as bad as their children. According to Duggan et al. from the Pew Research Center, among parents with children 18 or under who use Internet and social media, 75% make it a point to login to Facebook daily whereas 51% login several times a day (Duggan et al.). All joking aside, families no longer sit down and talk about their day because a work-life balance does not exist. In fact, technology has destroyed our ability to relax, unwind, and spend quality time with people we care about.
Finally, technology threatens our personal safety. Although it is often said that using technology while driving does not mix, the safety of drivers on the road has not improved. Driving and technology usage is frequently talked about, and yet deaths caused by drivers using technology continues to rise. Based on an article provided by National Public Radio, there were almost 18,000 car accidents within the first half of 2016 (Schaper). Technology distracts drivers. Drivers are more than willing to take their attention off the road to check notifications and phone calls. The thing is, all of that can wait. It is not going to hurt you to wait until you are pulled over and parked to check your messages. But it could hurt you if you decide not to wait. Checking your mobile device while driving or messing with the advanced technology in your vehicle can lead to a serious accident. You could injure yourself or someone else. If the accident is bad enough, it could lead to unnecessary death.
We stay connected to technology like an addict stays hooked on drugs. The problem is, we fail to see the negative impact of technology because we are currently too absorbed within the bright screens of our laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Taking a break from technology means setting limits and sticking to them. Apply limits at the dinner table. Let everyone in your home know that the dinner table is a technology-free zone. Instead, take the time to talk to one another face-to-face while enjoying a family meal. Make it a point to only check your social media and email accounts a certain number of times each day. Nothing on the Internet is so important that it can’t wait. If you keep your eyes glued to the screens of your devices, you could miss out on life as it passes you by. Addiction to the digital world means you miss out on everything the real world has to offer. If that isn’t bad enough, focusing on technology in situations that you shouldn’t could put your life and the lives of others at risk. The reasons why you should take a break from technology are plentiful, but it is up to you to make the decision to take that much needed break.
- Burley, Kermit. “How is Technology Impacting Workplace Stress?” Chron.com. Hearst Chronicle, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
- Duggan, Maeve, Amanda Lenhart, Cliff Lampe and Nicole B. Ellison. “Parents and Social Media.” Pew Internet. Pew Research Center, 16 Jul. 2015. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
- Nagel, David. “One-third of U.S. Students Use School-Issued Mobile Devices.” The Journal. The Jounrla, 8 Apr. 2014. Web. 28 Mar 2017.
- Schaper, David. “Human Errors Drive Growing Death Toll in Auto Crashes.” NPR.org. NPR, 20 Oct. 2016. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
- Spencer, Ben. “Mobile users can’t leave their phone alone for six minutes and check it up to 150 times a day.” Daily Mail. Daily Mail UK, 10 Feb. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
