Disconnecting... Connecting
James and I are becoming increasingly aware of the use of our time associated with social media and our smart phones. There are blessings and pitfalls to this glorious time in which we live on the earth. I have found myself falling into a cycle of always needing to have my phone near me, thinking of something to text someone, or wanting to look on Instagram or Google a question I have... In some ways I am becoming captive.
Before I go on, I want to point out some of the many blessings I see in technology and social media:
Before I go on, I want to point out some of the many blessings I see in technology and social media:
- Communicating with family and friends (f &f) near and far
- Sharing my faith, sharing thoughts of God and Jesus Christ
- Family History websites and records available
- Sharing pictures of our growing family to all f & f
- Keeping up-to-date with all the happenings of f & f
- Instant answers to questions
- Ability to always capture a funny or cute moment with my phone
- So many helpful websites in all aspects of life
There are also many pitfalls:
- Becoming distracted from where I am
- Not being present in the moment
- Not paying full attention to my son
- Being lazy by continually turning to a device rather than other meaningful tasks
- Bad example for T
- Missing out on the sweet, tender moments life has to offer because I am looking at something else
President Packer, a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints taught, “Our spirit and our body are combined in such a way that our body becomes an instrument of our mind and the foundation of our character.” In constantly using devices I feel I am diminishing the importance of my physical body. This scares me to think that technology will only increase in possibilities.
It also scares me that it is so easy for me to be "connected" to social media/ my phone. I feel that right now I must really take a stand and establish healthy and wholesome habits for myself and my family.
One of the best times in my life (as far as being disconnected) was at Jacob Lake, near the Grand Canyon. There was terrible cell phone service and my laptop completely busted soon after my arrival. At my initial dismay, I realized that this was the best thing that could have happened to me. I enjoyed nature to the fullest extent, spent my time developing talents and nurturing friendships. It was a great time because I was present, I was never in a cyber world, distracted by far away thoughts, pictures, and ideas.
I love Instagram because I love pictures, but part of me hates how much I love it! I am the kind of person that in order to decrease my use of social media, I have to drastically change my access to it. It's not looking promising for my family to move to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, so I better shape up in this fast-paced, and 4G LTE world we live in.
I want to be more connected to God, to my family, and to the present moment.
I want to be more disconnected from the social media world and less dependent on my handy dandy cell phone.
I am not sure the answer on how to best balance this aspect of my life. I don't know how to raise children in this cyber world without them being addicted to devices of one sort or another. They are good tools for so many reasons, but have debilitating consequences in some ways. I have a few ideas for implementation:
- Facebook only a couple (designated) times a week
- Phone should stay in one place in the house, no carrying it around all the time (this will be challenging)
- Develop real talents- crochet, musical instruments, cook, etc
- Enjoy nature daily- T and I have been loving going on hikes
- Read more- read the scriptures, read good books, set a good example
- Pray for help!
If you have any ideas please share! This is a wonderful time we live in, and I know I need to use my time and devices wisely.
Inspired by Elder Bednar's devotional speech
Inspired by Elder Bednar's devotional speech
Hard but true! I love you... Inspiring
ReplyDeleteCami I think this is a common concern around America. Even though everyone is addicted, I think many people have moments where they reflect on how it's impacting their life. Your post is very thoughtful and very relevant for our day. A while back I wrote a post about this very topic and Jesus and I went on a 30 day 30 minutes no electronics challenge. So everyday when Jesus came home from work, we were not allowed to look at our phones, turn on the tv or any electronics for 30 minutes. We didn't keep up the challenge after the 30 days but we still refer to it at times when we need to now. It really helped us see a difference in our daily habits and to take that 30 minutes to focus on each other and our family. So that's what put our heads back in the game and I think you already have a good list of goals for yourself! (PS I totally carry my phone around with me too much too...silly...I know!)
ReplyDeleteUmm, first off, REALLY glad I found your blog. You're so fun to read!
ReplyDeleteLoved your ideas. Sadly, due to work, I can't just drop everything and not look at email and social media - that's what I get for getting a "work-at-home-writing-job". I too LOVE going outside and for some reason it's normal to not have electronics when I'm out doing those things. I've found that leaving my phone at home even when I run to the store to grab something gives me time to myself and others with me. Like you said you never know when those moments will be that a memory will be made. Whatever you do, be constant and be consistent! You can do whatever you put your mind to!
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