I’ve never fallen entirely into either of the pro- or anti-technology camps. It’s clear to me that technology is a powerful tool with a lot of upsides—and plenty of downsides, too. It can make your life easier and open opportunities that never existed—fewer shopping trips, video calls with distant relatives, navigation in unknown places, capturing memories wherever you go, tracking your fitness, or following your favorite content creators—to name a few examples. But technology—and I’m thinking specifically about smartphones now—can also be a huge distraction from everyday life. You might become addicted to checking your favorite
Social Media sites, anxious that you’re missing out on something, or constantly pulled from the task at hand by the ping of a new notification. I encourage you not to fall for the propaganda that you are a pawn caught up in forces beyond your control. Sure, big tech companies are trying to make a profit, and politicians are pushing their agendas, but you are a human with free will, and it’s up to you to decide how you’ll use technology. It might be tempting to imagine utopian worlds where either we return to a beautiful agrarian past or technology arrives to remove all of the frustrations and pains of modern life—but that’s not going to happen. I believe we should all embrace the age we live in and get on with the work of making the best of what we have. It’s only through this work that we can pass along a better world for our children and grandchildren. The work I’m talking about is the kind that everyone is called to do—coming to terms with the trade-offs involved in life and making choices that reflect our values. For me, that means embracing technology—like smartphones—but seeking to do so in a way that amplifies beauty and calmness rather than chaos and unease. 1. Set a Beautiful Picture for Your Wallpaper 2. Quit Using Apps That Involve Scrolling or Swiping as Their Primary Activity 3. Embrace Limits on Your Daily Screen Time 4. Create a Minimalist Home Screen 5. Turn Off the Vast Majority of Notifications and Alerts