There, I’ve said it. Months of complaints from my wife,workmates and even my kids at the odd times I do look up from my phone screens. There has been an intervention from my closest who all think my addiction to technology has become an issue and needs addressing.
I admit it, I love my Iphone,Pad and Pod. I’m never more than an arms length away from either. I check my virtual world all day long, repeatedly. To the point of pressing refresh on my emails when nothing is coming through. I can’t see the problem as yet, but have been told its effecting my day-to-day relationships.
My wife has had a gut-full, telling me I ignore the kids in favor of reading the latest txt, tweet or email. I didn’t think it was that bad. I just love technology, keeping my finger on the pulse of life, whose saying what, tweeting something clever or trending on social media.
But the point has been made, and for this week, I have promised to put down my I-tools and go Cold Turkey on the mod-cons. After office hours, no Iphone, IPad or iPod, instead, real conversation, real-time with my kids and my undivided attention to my wife. All those years thinking I was multi tasking by watching TV, following twitter and talking to my wife at the same time meant nothing to those I love most, thinking I was a very clever boy.
So for this week, no looking ahead on Wikipedia as to how my favorite show ends, whats trending on twitter or which last-minute guests are trying to get on the radio show the next day. I’m going techno free, after hours to see if I can do it, how I will go and if there is more to life than the Virtual World I have come to love.
Dont bother calling , tweeting or txting after hours, my phones in lock down, I will resume normal programming from 5am till 1pm for the rest of the week. Wish me luck, cause I already have the withdrawal shakes. And without my phone as a gentle reminder, how on earth am I gunna remember my kids names,,, watch this space.
My daughter got to the point where she couldn’t speak to anyone without moving her thumbs on an imaginary keyboard.
Liam you are in the company of many and probably every youth under 25. I have two boys 17 and 15 they are addicted too. Today I have taken the router to work. Yesterday a labourer who was viewing a job at our house spent 10min knocking at our opened front door (security screen locked) calling out to anyone inside. My 17 year old would have been on the x box playing a game wearing head set….. too distracted to even hear. A neighbour came to our house once calling out and knocking and no-one answered. We are all in new territory here, this is a world wide problem – just like gambling, drugs and alcohol, addition is addition when it causes a ripple effect. Technology is so intriguing, finding a balance takes discipline. Kids attitudes change when absorbed by technology and they behave ignorantly of what is happen right in their own back yard & speak aggressively when interrupted. My husband & I have been battling with this problem for about 1 year, it has reached an all time CRISIS HIGH ! If we ban the xbox and computer, they now have internet access on their phone. My 15 yr old has figured out he can still get internet on his laptop via his phone gateway, if I have taken the router away. There doesn’t seem to be a happy medium, we have tried every compromise and setting mutually acceptable rules. But the rules are broken. We have even down graded our internet! I think the answer is cold turkey. This week would be perfect for you to have a go at rock climbing at a climbing wall or bike riding, or surfing (it’s certainly hot enough) Suck in the Oxygen, feel the endorphens and feel fantastic. You are missing out on real stuff. I reckon your collegues must care for you a great deal to do what they have done. If you don’t acknowlege the ‘addiction’ status by the end of this week perhaps another week or more is needed! (sorry)…Good luck xo