No one is talking face to face anymore; we have slowly become cyber robots. Church is online, school is online, you can go food shopping online, work fulltime online, virtual dates and even bullies are online. Where is the human interaction? We are doing more emailing, more tweeting, more status updates, more blog reading (including this one), and less interaction. Guess what? This is making us less human and more technical in my opinion. People are online all the time, mobile devices, mobile home offices, instant access to anyone at any time. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy my virtual world, but it is essential to be fully engaged in REAL life experiences.
I see people texting while waiting in line for their coffee, while exercising in the gym, while going up or down in an elevator, on their way to the train, during dinner and even during family emergencies you get notified on Face Book. Yes, we are able to maximize the tiny windows of time, but we are slowly losing the very thing that keeps us alive. Scientists are discovering an unexpected side effect: The higher digital input we receive, the less time our brains get to process information, learn and become creative. In other words: We need downtime away from the gadgets to get new insights and new creative ideas.
I myself have created a digital diet. I am on the computer for a certain amount of time, and then I am on the phone certain amount of time and then no texting when family is home or around. I have to give myself time to think without being on warp speed all day. I don’t run to my phone first thing in the morning and I don’t rush to Face book or Twitter, I give myself thinking time especially when my mind is still fresh in the morning. I love the internet but I use it to keep me above ground and ready to activate.
If you’re wondering what is happening to your brain and why it’s difficult to retain information or stay focused, it’s probably due to being on digital overload, in what I call a digital underground, never surfacing for air. If you are looking to renew your creative fire you have to be less online. “Almost certainly, downtime lets the brain go over experiences it’s had, solidify them and turn them into permanent long-term memories,” said Loren Frank, assistant professor in the department of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco recently in The New York Times.
Be moderate and responsible with your time online. If you feel you are a tad bit addicted, start to wean yourself off slowly. Cherish your offline moments while you can.
Lucinda Cross is a Lifestyle and Business fire starter specializing in women’s success. She is the CEO and Founder of Activate!, Author of Corporate Mom Drop Outs, Founder of Praying Moms.org and Activate Me 24/7 Membership. She is also co-owner of the Super Mom Entrepreneur Conference and Expo. Her journey into entrepreneurship began when she became a mom and she has been building businesses ever since as a mompreneur. She has defied all the odds both in life and in business and has mastered the ability to turn adversities into advantages. She travels the world sharing her message and inspiring women to Activate in all areas of life! Her new book “The Road To Redemption: Overcoming Life’s Detours, Obstacles and Challenges” is set to release in Mar 2012. You can find out more about Lucinda Cross or request to hire her for your upcoming conference, seminar, graduation or celebration by emailing her agent at lcspeak@mahoganycommunications.com or simply connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/lucindacrossspeaks.com , Twitter @lucindaspeaks.
Written by : Lucinda Cross
