Lifecoachwomen.be

We know so much more than our grandparents but….

ARE WE ANY WISER????????

I don’t think so, quite the contrary I dare say…

Internet Technology has of course its advantages.

We have access to virtually everything at any given moment.

Just one tap or mouse click away and the world opens up to us.

You can argue that it is all interesting stuff, that it gives opportunities to connect with people who live in very remote area’s and so one and so forth.

And yes you have a point there BUT:

And here comes a very big but!

I would like to highlight the dangers, the unseen poisonous character of it all.

Technology is today’s nicotine!

For decades, tobacco industries have argued that nicotine was not harmful, was not addictive! And look what is written on the cigarette packages nowadays.

The same goes for the big tech companies : they hire scientists and all kinds of specialists to develop products that create experiences which release dopamine so that you become addicted to their products!

They can’t claim they don’t know!!!!!!!

Just look around you … yes you will have to look up from your screen :-/

EVERYBODY looks DOWN: both literally and figuratively speaking!

Teenagers are sitting in groups and all look individually on their smartphones, people have dinner with friends and are all checking their phones, …

It distracts you from all what really matters in life!!!!

As Greg Mc Keown puts it: “You can not overestimate the unimportance of practically everything!”

What matters is your partner, your kids, your family, your personal values!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t exchange those priceless things for any price!

Recover from technology! Every single day!

People are always “ON”!

Every time you check your phone, you are rewarded, you get a dose of dopamine, so you keep on checking it because you are addicted to that flash of dopamine!

Studies show that an average person checks his or her phone 110 times/ day! They spend more than 5 hours a day browsing the web, using apps,…

And they don’t realize it!

When asked, people claim to do only half of it.

So you become unaware of your behaviour, which reflects on the rest of your behaviour!

Depression, stress increases!

Suicide amongst teenagers increases!

Emotional well being, academic performance, sleep quality, emotional intelligence all decrease!

If it’s within reach you will check it, so put it somewhere you can’t see it.

At least 1 to 1,5 hour before bedtime, no more screen time.

Put your phone AWAY once you are amongst friends and family!

The best gift you can give ( and yes it’s the perfect time for gifts!!) the ones you love and care about, is undivided attention! Being fully present ( isn’t that a nice word in English: present has 2 meanings: as in ‘now’ and as in ‘gift’)

We treat our brains like a computer: no limits, just input, input, input,….

But our brain works as a muscle:

it needs rest!!

Who can run 1000 miles without resting???????

When asked, you wouldn’t even dream of trying!

You would seriously wonder about the intellectual capacities of the person who asks you!

But if they ask you to be online all the time, you say, yes! of course, I can do that, I’ll just check, reply, like, read, answer,……24/7!!

STOP FRYING YOUR BRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop being a slave to your phone!

When needed, you can install all kinds of tools that help you keep away from the distractors; ( for mac: Freedom, SelfControl, Think, Megazoomer,… for Windows: WriteMonkey, Q10,…)

When you do spend time online, remember that what you read, is what you tell your brain, what you adopt into your mind:

GARBAGE IN! GARBAGE OUT!

So be selective, read what inspires you to be a good person, to act in a compassionate way.

When you spend quality time with your family:

Teach your kids to:

actually live their lives,

feel the actual world,

not miss out on nature,

talk and actually look at the people they talk to,

not live their lives in an artificial world, ..

There is a new phenomenon called “ nature deficit disorder”

How sad is that!

GO OUTSIDE! EXPLORE! BREATHE!

Start your day with the ones you love, not with your smartphone!

Listen to your heart!

Don’t follow where the big tech companies try to lure you into!

They say it’s about connecting, sharing,…but it’s all about the money!

The big companies put financial needs first! The big beast needs to be fed! ( read “The four” by Professor Scott Galloway, Professor Marketing at the NYU Stern School of business)

Regain control of your behaviour!