Has technology hijacked your attention?
Today, I watched this video.
In it, parents at their wits' end use a device that looks like a pepper mill to switch all smartphones, TV, and tablets off during mealtimes. At first, it's a freak show, but then something remarkable happens. Conversation. Communication. Contact.
Let's face it: We're all guilty of behaving like some of the children in this video when our Wi-Fi connection is cut, or our phones don't work.
But isn't the end of the video beautiful?
It made me realize that at the end of the day, with all of our smartphone use and our TV viewing and our tablet browsing -- we're all after the same thing. That thing is one of the only reasons we use technology at all.
What is this thing? It is connection.
Friends connecting with friends. Readers finding new thoughts expressed in articles they read. Viewers identifying with characters in TV shows.
So what if, just for today's dinner time, you turned off all electronics and connected with the person at the table across from you?
Of course, it might seem drastic to have no phones, electronics, or TV on during mealtimes, but with today's hectic pace and scheduling, what other time do you have to look into your child's eyes and give them your 100 percent focus? What other time do they have to ask you those questions that only a time of silence will draw out?
What ways do you find time to connect and really be there for the people who matter in your life? I'd love to hear how you manage quality times with those you love, and I'm sure readers would love to hear tips that might work for them too!
Gabriella is an international activist, author, and speaker.