We are blessed to live in an age where we can literally see people on the other side of the world, listen to any music we want (sometimes even before it’s released) and binge watch an entire series of Storage Hunters in a day, if we so wish. However this unparalleled wave of technology has swept over humanity and created a world without an off switch, one that is very hard to ever truly detach from.
In 2016/17 12.5 million working days were lost due to stress, depression or anxiety. This figure has slowly been increasing for the last 2 decades and shows no sign of abating. This is not purely down to increased pressure in the work place from management or external bodies but it is also down to the technology we use when not at work. This increase in days missed from work almost mirrors the developments and progression in technology. Technology that sometimes can make us feel that we are always ‘plugged in’ always on the go.
I’m not even just talking social media here, though this is obviously a key point. Emails, news, fitness apps that track how many steps you’ve taken but not how many minutes performing breathing exercises you are doing. They block time in our minds and our lives and build this almost subconscious feeling that simply sitting is wasted time. For many adults and young people reading is wasted time. Many would rather tap away on an electronic game than open a wonderful world in pages.
I’m 100% guilty of this myself. As a teacher I work long hours however as soon as I’m home I use the TeacherTapp app, a research tool that sets new questions at 3:30pm every day. I jump straight on because primarily I’m a bit nosey but also because it’s there. It’s relevant and it’s easy to do. All great factors of it’s design. However do I need to do it everyday? Why am I probably one of a tiny number that hasn’t missed a single day? Once TeacherTapp is finished I’m straight on to reading the news, news that were it hugely significant, would have flashed up on my phone anyway. But for some reason I almost feel a need to get my daily update on Donald’s disasters. With that complete it’s on to the next thing and the next thing. Before you know it a significant part of the precious free time you do have is gone. For what? What’s the pay off? Where is the benefit of such a daily time investment? There clearly are some. Yet this deluge of data, this influx of information and stream of social media must be impacting the relaxation parts of our brains. Add in to this the witches’ brew of work emails (note I am fortunate to be under literally no obligation to read or respond to work emails out of working hours) and it’s a wonder that people have any ‘off’ time at all.
The biggest problem is that this is only going to get worse. I love my phone, when it isn’t within 2 meters of me I do start to hyperventilate. However look around you next time you are in a bar or a restaurant and notice the teenagers of today that have almost no interest in their surroundings. Crowds of them sat around tables not even glancing at eachother. The virtual 2inch by 3inch world 8 inches from their faces is far more entertaining, far more relevant. The YouTube stars that the ‘grown ups’ of today love to snobbishly look down on are real to these people, they do count them as an important person in their lives and we must as a society handle this adoration with care.
I must stress before I cease my rather hypocritical ramblings (I’m writing this on my phone) that I do not blame myself or anyone else for feeling this way. Locking ones mind into your phone is an escape, it can be a relaxation. It can release chemicals that make you feel great. But we are creating a civilisation where we move seamlessly from work to technology to bed and then repeating the routine day after day. Is it any wonder stress levels, anxiety and depression are all on the rise?
