Device Addiction?

I love my devices.  I love that I can learn anything I want anytime.  I have used my devices to teach, plan, research, organize, communicate, collaborate, calculate, learn, read, write, document, photograph, listen to music, watch everything from how-to videos to documentaries, learn a new language, meet people, stay connected to my children, plan and send party invitations in a single post, and so on...

On the other hand, I look at my devices constantly and it doesn't always make me feel good.  Last week, I was out in the woods for three days with no service, but I repeatedly looked at my phone (while it was in airplane mode) as if something was going to happen.  Forgetting my iPhone when I go to the gym is akin to forgetting my sneakers.  Not knowing where it is is life-stopping.  Last night, I sat down to study.  I compiled a very organized task list in Google Keep (which is very cool BTW) and then proceeded to get lost in old videos of the 1980's show "Love Connection" for more than an hour.  When I hear a text come in on my phone, I'm distracted until I go look.  

I hear many (mostly adults my age and older) make disdainful remarks about devices, and social media in general.   I wince a little, because part of what they're saying rings true; but I also think those who avoid technology on principle are throwing the baby out with the bathwater - not to mention making it slightly annoying for the rest of us to communicate with them.

I am sure that for me, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, but I think it is going to take our culture a few more years to figure out how to balance all this information and all this cool, useful stuff with fresh air, in person socializing, exercise, and other  non-tech necessities.  

It is also important to recognize the addictive quality.  Our kids are going to have to learn how to be productive and responsible in spite of all of these amazing distractions.  It's not going away, so they'll have to figure out how to get stuff done in spite of it.   

I have an extreme love/hate relationship with my devices and social media.  But, I'm not going to go live off the grid in a yurt full of bean sprouts either.

For now, I'm going to continue to organize my feeds to be more newsy and less stupidy, use my "no molestar" setting when I need to focus, get out on that bicycle and up those mountains, and text my friends every time I feel like it.  (-;