A few days ago, The New York Times featured an interesting article, Your Brain on Computers: Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price, that highlights the Campbell family, especially Mr. Campbell, who is overly dependent on technology and is starting to notice some negative effects. Mrs. Campbell complains that her husband is often distracted, forgetful, and has a difficult time disconnecting and being in the moment.
This families reliance on technology seems somewhat extreme to me, but the scary thing is that it is the norm for many. If you are anything like the Campbell's, you may want to check out the warning signs of tech overload.
Researchers confirm that constant multi-tasking can be addictive, and is changing the way people think and behave, and not necessarily for the best. Multi-tasking used to be thought of as a great skill to have, but new research shows that multitaskers may actually have more trouble focusing and may experience more stress (test your focus and how well you can juggle between tasks with these cool, interactive quizzes).
Advances in technology that allow people to work anywhere and anytime, can be great for managing work and life, but not if you don't set boundaries for their use and unplug often. I know there are some great benefits to being connected, but living life in the moment is a real joy, and it would be sad to lose touch with that.
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Hi Erin, that was very informative and I especially liked the way you linked to the articles. You have shown that a short article can be packed with loads of information! Love, Mom
ReplyDeleteErin-
ReplyDeleteI was pretty shocked by the Campbell's addiction to technology. It was especially sad when they were on a vacation and all sat in a room fiddling with their personal devices. But I have been thinking a lot about multi-tasking and how I try to stay focused on one task, but find it difficult to resist the call of email and IM, even when all of it is still work-related. I tend to be easily distracted at work with other work. It is interesting how research suggests multi-taskers get less done. The trick seems to be in creating boundaries and then showing good, old fashioned discipline.
--Richard