We have a love/hate relationship with the way technology surrounds us. As military families, we love that we can stay connected to friends, family, and our service member when they are away from home. We like the security we feel with having the ability to watch our house while we are away. We love that our children can hear their military parent’s voice when they are having a rough day.
But, we also hate the way it controls us. We struggle with balancing the time we spend on our smartphones and tablets. We feel threatened by the dangers that lurk around the corner on the video games our children play. We hate the way the pictures of elaborate dinners and clean houses on social media make us feel about ourselves.
Is there a way to find balance with technology? Can we pick and choose the things that make us happy and healthy, and discard or ignore the parts that we don’t like? Here are some ways we can do just that.
Activity monitoring
Do you have a Fit Bit or an Apple Watch? Fitness monitoring devices are a great tool to help keep people moving or active. They can also keep us motivated and competitive with our friends. Humans love rewards, and even something as simple as the fireworks on your Fitbit when you hit your step goal can bring a smile to your face. Of course, keeping yourself active is a great way to get and stay healthy.
Scheduling down time
Calendars may be the thing we use on our phones the most, but do you use them to keep yourself on track? 2015 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year® and licensed professional counselor Corie Weathers shares her intention of being deliberate to put down the technology and spend time as a family weekly. Though you may need a calendar reminder, which is where your smartphone can come in handy.
Tracking food
We are what we eat, right? No matter your current philosophy on food and caloric intake, keeping track of what you eat is helpful. Sometimes it’s to see what foods bother your stomach, or how specific meals make you feel. Sometimes it’s to make sure you are eating enough, or not too much.
Having apps like Lose It! or MyFitnessPal to keep track of what you are eating and when can be a useful tool. Bonus — several free apps help you track your water intake, which is always a good thing!
Watching money
Budgeting is hard! Especially when you and your spouse are using debit cards from joint accounts. Multiple bills, automatic payments, and direct deposits can make your bank account jump around from the time it takes to drive to the grocery store. With technology, you can utilize your phone to check your bank account, transfer money, and even check in on your budget.
Read more books
Apps like Goodreads help us keep track of the books we’ve read and, more importantly, the books we want to read. When wandering through an airport bookstore, you can quickly add books to your “To Read” list, so you don’t forget. You can also leave reviews and recommend more books to others. One of the favorite sections of Goodreads is the yearly challenge, where you can see how close you are to reading a predetermined number of books.
Moderation, in all things, is key. So the use of technology can be helpful to us, too. Yes, each of the ways suggested could cross the line to an unhealthy relationship, either with the technology itself or the relationships that develop because of it. Embrace the technological options we have that fit into your lifestyle. Just make sure to keep it at a healthy level.
