Oh, Technology

My wife and I were at a restaurant the other night and noticed a family of four having dinner near us. For most of the time we were there, both the adults and the children were glued to their digital devices. We were shocked. Don’t get me wrong. I embrace technology as a powerful tool for both work and play. But when I see a family buried in their smart phones during dinner out, I wonder if we’ve taken things too far.

Children are being raised with technology that provides tremendous intelligence at their fingertips. But it may well constrict their ability to socialize effectively and interact with people confidently. I don’t have an answer for this, except to say that some form of moderation and balance is needed. I get that technology can be addicting and that’s why I suggest some reasonable restrictions on ourselves and our children. Of course, if we can’t get off our devices, we can hardly set a good example for our youth.

So when we can’t go to a restaurant or be out with friends or go to bed without being married to our phones, something is wrong. We are social beings who need connection, but I question whether that connection must always be with an electronic pacifier.

I welcome your thoughts.

Here are a few Business & Life Tips to think about….

Business Tips:

• Hire sales staff who are pleasant, good listeners, and like people. Technical knowledge is good, but you can’t teach personality.
• If your employee can’t put his smart phone away during work hours, it’s both your problem and your fault. Deal with it.
• Information is at our fingertips, so we should be using it every day. There is hardly any excuse for being uninformed.

Life Tips:

• If you really want to relax, turn off your phone and pick up that book you’ve been wanting to read for such a long time.
• Children are often more creative than adults because their minds aren’t constrained by the realities and experiences of life.
• What you pour into your mind in your youth, over and over again, shapes your thinking throughout your life.

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