Chapter 7: Technology & The Herd Mentality

Chapter 7: Technology & The Herd Mentality

Still with me?

Great! If you’re still here it’s because you probably feel like you should tone down your dependence on social media and technology. Or perhaps something you’ve read has compelled you to at least consider some options. As I’ve said before, you’re in the driver’s seat and you should only make adjustments that feel right to you. Will those adjustments enhance your life? That’s what it’s all about: whether you’re toning down or tuning up your technology usage: enhancement.

That said, we must be clear that even with these strategies it can be difficult to corral your personal switch cost.

Chapter 6: The Mind is the Real Deal

Chapter 6: The Mind is the Real Deal

I’m old enough to remember a time when most of our current technology was simply a fantasy. Over the years, technological advancements have crashed upon us like waves on a beach. Nowadays, it happens so quickly we’re fine to accept new technology without a second thought.

I remember my nephew visiting my apartment on campus in the early 2000’s. He was three years old and absolutely fascinated by the strange curly cord attached to my telephone. Fast forward and now I have a three year-old of my own who’s never seen a curly phone cord and is awestruck by things like a busy signal. “What, why can’t they just answer the other line? Can’t they see we are calling? Where’s the video?”

Chapter 5: The 11 Culprits of Consistent Connection

Chapter 5: The 11 Culprits of Consistent Connection

Alright, social media and technology aren't all bad. We've got that part surrounded. But social media and technology do have some significant downsides. You might be aware of these but many are sneakier than they seem, especially since most of them blend into one another.

Do any of these look familiar?

1. Technology is Addictive

Did you hear about the man who walked into a bar while texting?

Chapter 4: It’s Not All Bad – The Daily Benefits of Technology & Social Media

Chapter 4: It’s Not All Bad – The Daily Benefits of Technology & Social Media

If you’ve made it this far, you may be wondering why I’m not yet advocating for you to toss your phone into the sea. Like me, you may have been tempted to get rid of your gadget, or at least daydream about a time when you weren’t tied to one. But for all their negative traits, something keeps us tied to our devices and their streams of content.

The truth is, technology and social media isn’t all bad. I can remember the drama of school holidays and not being able to chat with my friends for the long two months before classes started again. This simply isn’t reality in today’s connected society.

Chapter 3: Where Does Stress Come From?

Chapter 3: Where Does Stress Come From?

Technology is wasting our time. We can agree on that, right? At least to some extent? So far we’ve established that technology and social media have reduced our offline hours and left us little time to refresh and rejuvenate, but there’s actually another effect of all the pings and beeps.

Stress. The emotional toll.

While technology is meant to enhance our lives, it’s difficult to argue that it doesn’t also increase our stress.

Chapter 2: The Reasons for Social Overload

Chapter 2: The Reasons for Social Overload

Constantly being plugged into social media is extracting a significant tax from our bodies. These days we’re blurring the boundaries between the various activities that shape who we are as human beings. Everything we do is purposeful. The choices we make and the roads we travel are unique. The problem with a constant connection is that whether we’re working, studying, spending time with our families, or spending time alone, those actions lose a degree of their independence when they're constantly intertwined with online connections.

Not only do work emails interrupt personal time, but personal connections also interrupt work time.

Chapter 1: Is Technology Stressing You Out?

Chapter 1: Is Technology Stressing You Out?

Well done! Reading this book is a fantastic first step in changing your relationship with social media and technology. These tools should serve you, and not the other way around, right?

Right, we can all agree on that. By the end of my book, the only changes you’ll make are ones that feel right to you. No, you don’t have to throw your phone in the trash. After all, achieving wellness is impossible with a black-and-white, all-or-nothing approach. Instead, these pages will help you reflect on how plugged in you are so you can decide what's working for you and what's working against you.  

Let's get started, shall we?

On Social Media & Technology: How To Use It Without Being Consumed By it

On Social Media & Technology: How To Use It Without Being Consumed By it

Do you ever imagine what communication looked like 100 years ago? If you’re curious, just grab your phone and… wait, don’t do that. Resist that urge for a moment.

In the last couple decades the manner in which we communicate has changed so drastically it makes the experiences of even one generation ago sound archaic. For instance, I remember my second grade best friend moving away and the colourful sticker-covered correspondence letters we shared as she became my newest pen-pal. The coveted letters that came occasionally in the mail were my only links to her. As I got older...

Introducing a Brand New Way to Find Balance with Social Media & Technology

Introducing a Brand New Way to Find Balance with Social Media & Technology

A blank page awaits me.

So let’s get to it. 

I'm Kelvin, and today I’m proud to introduce a brand new book written by my friend Deepika Mittra called Social Media & Technology, How to Use It Without Being Consumed By It.

It’s a book to teach people like you and me how to find balance in the daily dance with online distractions and an increasingly connected digital society that’s supposed to enrich our lives.