For the Gen-Next, it is inconceivable to envisage a world without technology. Technology and Life is now so intertwined with each other that they almost appear as two sides of the same coin. This appears to be a highly hypothetical statement but it is a reality, we cannot repudiate. World is engulfed with technical advancements and gadgets that have made our lives so easy and convenient.
Man is a social animal and it needs to socialize to remain true to its primate instincts. Socializing, however has taken a virtual form owing to technological revolution. There are infinite number of social networking sites/application that allow us to communicate with one another irrespective of our geography. This allows us to remain connected and share our ideas/thoughts with similar minded people across the globe. This was, and still does remain one of the high points of the world going digital.
We must however also accept that technology along with its plethora of benefits has also invited few unwanted after effects which are slowly beginning to show its true nature. It is therefore, imperative to deal with them at the earliest.
Once upon a time, man and machine had a very defined relationship, wherein machine was the submissive partner. Machines were devised with the sole intent of making our life easy. But with time, there seems to be a drastic role reversal that has occurred owing to our dependence on technology in almost all walks of life. We are so dependent on technology to carry out even the most trivial jobs that imagining a life without machines is intractable. People seldom interact in person now. Virtually, we may be connected to the entire world, but in reality, we might not even be aware of the whereabouts of our loved ones.
“We need to ensure that we do not take a back-seat and let technology drive us. We need to be adroit to utilize the benefits of digitization and not let our social and personal lives be compromised. Turning coal of darkness that entails due to hazardous use of technology to the point of no return can only be transformed to a shining gemstone of happiness through our will to not let technology engulf our human soul and make us entirely inanimate” rightly quoted by Rashmi Bagri a well-known Happiness Coach and Counsellor.
There are certain lifestyle changes that we can implement to remain happy in tech savvy world.
Communicate – The power of healthy communication can be instantly felt and it can help you find clarity and focus. Human emotions of empathy, love, trust should always be at the epitome of these little talks. They appear trivial but in the long run, they have a deep impact in our lives. Be vocal, talk to anyone who influences you for good. Connect to your friends and family, more often.
Utilize leisure – Find something interesting to fill in your leisure time instead of spending it on surfing the net and scrolling through FB, Instagram and twitter handles. Go out to jog, play music, sing, enjoy the nature or may be just catch up with old friends. These activities will give you much more energy and will help you reconnect with yourself, with individuals and with nature.
Abate and replace – Curb the time you spend on your smartphone, iPad, laptop, TV or any form of digital media and replace it with something more meaningful; for instance, meditate. Maintaining a sound physical health is of paramount importance. A healthy mind and body in unison helps attain longevity. Never let your quality of life be compromised owing to over dependence on technology.
Don’t be nocturnal – Man is a diurnal creature. Let us not fiddle with this natural habit. Having a proper sleep is very important. But when inconsequential amount of sleeping time is spent on internet, it can lead to harmful long-term problems. Sleep deprivation may lead to insomnia, stress, anxiety, high BP to name a few. When you let your body have sufficient sleep, it refreshes, recharges and you are ready to take on new challenges, goals with a sound mind and soul.
Cherish relationships - Many of you will instantly connect to the fact that we now often sit along with our smartphones for breakfast, lunch as well as dinner. Friends and family have now become secondary. This is detrimental to our social wellbeing. We need to understand that being connected with friends, family and our loved ones in-person is more important than being virtually connected to the entire world.
Ditch your gadget from time to time and spend quality time with the ones’ you care about. Talk to them, listen to them. These are the moments that you shall cherish; weave in your memory with the quality time that you spend with the people who really do matter in your life.
Go old school – Try sending a hand-written letter to a friend on his/her birthday instead of sending your wishes on social media and see the impact. No matter how much we excel in technology, the power of human emotions can never be replaced. Instead of finding friends on social media, talk to your family, neighbours and find friends around the place where you reside. Going old school is the need of the hour. Let your human instinct drive you instead of your gadget.
Rashmi also beautifully commemorates the fact that “We can always amend fallacy if we are determined. Technology has brought the world closer but has made us distant from our closed ones. Let’s be clever and not let technology control us. Be modern in the modern world, but let’s also not forget our roots. We are human and we need to remain humane.”
