If you’ve ever looked up from your smartphone screen only to wonder where on earth everyone has gone and why it is suddenly dark outside, I’ve got some bad news: you may be obsessed with technology.
In a world full of gadgets and ever-present internet connectivity, an addiction to devices through which we consume the world’s media is a very easy trap to fall into. You’re not alone.
You may not even be aware it’s happening to you – nearly everyone else seems to have their heads buried in their phones, after all. But, if you are becoming obsessed with tech, your work and home life can suffer. There can be some very real financial implications too.
Here’s 5 tell tale signs you’re becoming obsessed with technology.
1. You Can’t Recall Conversations
“You remember – we talked about it last week and you agreed we should visit my parents this weekend.” Sound familiar? That sudden realisation that you probably did partake in a conversation without paying full attention to the subject matter?
Most of us aren’t particularly good at multi-tasking, and whilst you may think you’re able to hold a conversation with your partner while browsing eBay, you’re unfortunately mistaken.
2. You Think Everything Is A Touch Screen
I actually did this earlier today. Spotting a button I needed to click in order to save a piece of work on a web form, I reached out to press ‘Save’, and realised I was working on my laptop. Which doesn’t have a touch screen.
Have you done the same? You’re probably spending far too long on your smartphone!
3. Your House Is Full Of Chargers
One thing yet to be fully cracked in the world of technology is ever-lasting batteries. That’s unlikely to happen, obviously, but it does mean that most of us have a colossal number of charging cables and docking stations littering our lives.
If you’re forever tripping over micro USB cables and Apple chargers, ask yourself an important question – did you really need to buy that second tablet?
4. You’ve Said ‘Lol’ In Face-To-Face Conversation
Thankfully, I’ve never fallen into this trap, but it is fast becoming a rather common source of embarrassment in social situations. The acronym for ‘laugh out loud’ has long been used in online chat and social media, but has now made the Oxford English Dictionary .
If you’ve ever said ‘lol’ out loud in conversation with a friend or family member, you can spare potential future blushes by spending less time online!
5. You Check Your Email At Weekends
Email can be a killer for both productivity and our overall happiness. The temptation to continually check our inboxes can lead to unnecessary stress and develop tensions between those we
love.
Remember one thing – email should never be used as a method by which to grab someone’s attention. Give yourself the weekend off your inbox at the very least and enjoy life .
Summary
I love technology. I used it to write this blog post and you’re using it to read my musings, but, like any good thing, we can all have too much of it. If any of the symptoms above feel familiar, consider reaching for the ‘off’ button more frequently.
