BEFORE YOU INVEST IN MORE HIGH TECH

In this day and age we seem to get so wrapped up in high technology with its promise of ease that we forget to compare it objectively to low-tech counterparts.  Perhaps you, too, have a food process that rarely or never comes out of the cupboard.  Why when it chops carrots so fast?   Probably because you’ve found that the knife to chop carrots cleans up so much faster that it isn’t worth getting it out!

I’m not trying to “tech-bash”, but to point out how, if we’re not careful, it can control the pace of our lives.  In his book, “The Riddle of Amish Culture”, sociologist Donald Kraybill, points out that, “Anyone stepping into Amish society suddenly feels time expand and relax.  The great irony here is that in the Amish society, with fewer labor-saving devices and other technological shortcuts, there is less ‘rushing around’.  The perception of rushing seems to increase directly with the number of ‘time-saving’ devices.” 

Perhaps there’s merit to considering the Amish and Mennonite sects that severely limit the use of modern conveniences.  Although I don’t think I’m at all ready to give up my car for a horse!

I think you get the point.  The next time you’re tempted to purchase another piece of high tech equipment you might want to take time to consider the complete ramifications to your time and space management.  Maybe you need to just say “no”.  It’s hard to do because you’ll feel the pull of keeping up with the times, but “no” is the single most important time-balancing word in your vocabulary.  It conjures up fears of not being liked, of not being respected, and especially, of not being productive.  Actually, forcing ourselves to become more focused, refusing to take on more tasks or technology can, oftentimes, make us more productive!