Technology has shaped the worldwe live in today. And in so many ways, for the better. But there's a price to pay for everything and the price it seems is that most of us have become slaves to it. Read on for some simples tips on living harmoniously with technology you can incorporate into your every day life with ease.
Double Edged Sword
Technology is such an amazing thing. It’s transformed our world in so many ways. It’s able to connect to the globe in an instant. Provide limbs for those without. Monitor anything and everything from the weather, to your steps, to your child sleeping in another room.
It’s also a double edged sword.
It can also bring bring the world to a halt with an internet crash. It can remove people’s limbs maliciously or by accident. And let’s not forget that while it can monitor your heart rate, it also monitors your browser history. Thus we are flooded with global disputes, people who have suffered accidents because of malfunctioning technology and ads in our instagram feeds that just won’t quit, no matter how many times you click “not relevant”.
It doesn’t have to be all bad though. Besides clearing your cache and installing some good ad-blocking software, there are some simple tips for living in healthy harmony with technology. Read on for my five tips on how to not let technology own you.
Cutting Down on Bad Habits
I know. What a thought. Is such a thing even possible?
I’m gonna be honest here. This isn’t the easiest one to implement, so I’ll start with the hardest.
Cutting down on technology is probably harder than quitting smoking cigarettes cold turkey.
It’s no secret that technology rules almost everyone’s lives. But it doesn’t have to.
We have a device for almost everything these days. Most of them which we take granted for.
And a lot of us have jobs which literally revolve around the internet. Which is great. But when you’re working with a screen all day, the best thing to do is limit the amount of time that you’re not working, on those screens.
Here’s a few things I’ve been implementing over the past few months to help me cut down:
– Keeping a schedule. This stops that endless scrolling which is a black hole for time. The satisfaction of checking everything (or most of it) off my to do list is enough to stop me from wasting time watching animal videos and being hypnotised by instagrams ever-changing feeds.
– Keeping electronic devices out of the bedroom. Or turning them off at a certain time. My phone is my alarm so I use the old trick of leaving it somewhere I can’t reach from my bed. And because I am lazy once I’m snuggled between the covers, this eradicates that problem.
– Assign certain tasks for certain devices. For example, I use my iMac for business, editing photos and videos and uni. I use my MacBook for uni (for days I want to lounge on the sofa) and for when I travel. I use an iPad for working out and for whenever I need to do something important in a pinch (and don’t want to start up my computer for it) and my phone for communications, social media and checking everyday things like bills, banking and online shopping orders. It seems excessive but it stops me from having heaps of different apps on each device which eliminates wasting time doing things on each one that I shouldn’t be. And I think most of us these days already own multiple devices.
Use it to Your Advantage
One of my favourite things so do with technology, besides wasting time watching alpacas trying to eat apples, is to use apps for productivity and health.
There are so many great and useful apps out there but most of us aren’t utilising our devices to their full potential.
I love tracking my steps and I love using my iPad for yoga. My favourite one is Down Dog. I’ve been doing it for a year now and have saved a tonne of money from being able to do it in my own home. Not to mention the time saved from the would-be commute to a studio.
Another great app (if you’re female) is one that tracks your period. It’s such a simple concept but everyone I know who uses one say it’s changed their life.
I also use my phone for meditation. There are so many great apps out there for it and most of them are free. Some of them send your mindfulness notification throughout the day which like an extra reminder to be conscious about your technology consumption.
My favourite app though would have to be aNote which is basically a planner, diary, alarm and calendar all in one. I was trying to use physical planner for a few years but having notifications sent to you when things need to be done has been the biggest game changer for me and my organisation.
There are so many apps out there for the same things, that you’re sure to find one that suits your needs. Just make sure you’re using it and not letting it use you!
Electric Crystals
This one is kind of whack (if you’re not into the esoteric) but I have read some articles on the effectiveness of it so it can’t hurt to try it.
Place crystals around your electronics. I’ve always loved crystals. Simply because they’re pretty to look at. And when I was a child I would always go for the crystal and metaphysical books on library day at school. As I grew up though, I just saw crystals as pretty rocks. Until my dad was talking about his cousin who had a crystal radio when they were teenagers. He said it didn’t need batteries and would always just work. Then I thought of the quartz clocks we used to have in the classrooms (crystals literally are energy) and how I read an article (when I was about ten years old) on how placing crystals around electronics could absorb radiation and negative energy. And for the past 10 years or so, I’ve always had crystals placed around my computer to not only absorb whatever undesirables there might be hanging around there, but also to stop my computer from breaking down.
Like I said, crystals and their non-mineral properties aren’t a very well developed area in regard to science but if you have a quick google, the internet will provide thousands upon thousands of people’s experiences swearing by simply placing crystals around their computer.
And if you don’t believe in it, they’ll still make your desk look pretty.
Night Vision
And what if you just can’t quit those electronics at night?
If you absolutely must be looking at a screen in the evening then I highly recommend you invest in a good pair of blue light filtering glasses.
I have been using this pair by EXYRA for the past few months and I am weirdly obsessed with them.
Blue light is responsible for so many different health issues such as back and neck pain, insomnia, increased blood sugar levels and decrease hunger hormone levels. And that’s not even all of it. If macular generation isn’t to encourage you to order a pair of blue light filtering glasses, then I don’t know what would be.
The shift in the body’s circadian rhythm is responsible for so many peoples’ sleepless nights and tired days.
After wearing the glasses just once, I fell asleep so quickly I didn’t even realise it. Which is a big deal to me because I take forever to fall asleep and am usually laying in bed waiting for the slumber to arrive.
After a few weeks, I was so well rested that I tried a couple of weeks without using the glasses at all and I can only attribute the amazing sleep to EXYRA.
I actually haven’t been wearing them for a couple of weeks again and my sleep is definitely not the quality it was with the glasses.
There are so many places to order these types of glasses now but I highly recommend EXYRA because their glasses and frame are mazing quality, they don’t feel cheap but they’re still light and they’re the only glasses I’ve ever worn that don’t give me a headache.
Let me know if you’ve ever tried blue light filtering glasses or any of these tips or if you have your own and share your thoughts below. As technology grows, so will our need for uses on living in harmony with it. We might as well make the most of it before AI takes over and we’re living in spaceships.*
*Which reminds me, who’s watched Black Mirror and Love, Death + Robots? If you’re gonna stare at a screen at night, it might as well be Netflix with your filtering glasses on, right?
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During the warmer months I find I’m up with the sun between 5-6am. I’m a huge advocate for getting enough sleep and I aim for 7-8 hours a night to run at my best. An average week day morning starts with 500-600mls of water with freshly squeezed lemon and my Juice Plus+ (wholefood daily supplements). I aim to get moving for 20 minutes via some stretching/yoga in my living room whilst oil pulling. Other mornings I may head straight out for a walk with the dog. I then take some time for gratitude and priming before getting stuck into some replies while sipping on a cup of Fully Charged Coffee (it’s a milk-free, blended coffee with spices and coconut oil – the recipe is in my book and on 
