I had grand plans to stay on track over the holiday season, but people kept FORCING me to eat and drink and be merry. It's rude to turn down a glass of champagne. And a cookie. And then another cookie. It is.
As I was trying to figure out my 2015 resolutions while sweating it out on the elliptical, I had an epiphany. I -- anyone really -- can lose five pounds immediately by doing one simple thing: putting down the devices.
By ridding ourselves of the laptop, and smartphone, and e-reader, and tablet, and ear buds, and Go Pro camera, and selfie stick and charger (and backup charger and solar charger) and whatever else may qualify we can experience instant weight loss. Like magic. Try it:
Hold all your devices and get on the scale.
Toss all your devices and get on the scale.
See? It works.
But we all know that when it comes to these hand-held handcuffs it's really not about the physical weight, is it? It's about how being constantly connected, in-touch, and interrupted can take a toll.
I talked to a handful of mothers who were in a quandary about gifting their children with smartphones or tablets. Why? Because they were afraid of losing their children to the ever-addictive world of electronics. One parent sighed, "I'm afraid I won't see him after 9AM Christmas morning if I give him the iPhone 6 he's been asking for since August."
But electronic addiction doesn't just affect the under-20 crowd. My friend's father-in-law received a Fit Bit and was so enthralled by the constant feedback he actually fell off the curb while trying to amass his 10,000 steps. So much for a peaceful walk on a chilly morning. He's currently chilling his swollen ankle with an ice pack.
By now we know that technology is not going away. And technology is not a bad thing. Just like cookies and champagne aren't bad things (the exact opposite in my opinion, but I digress) especially if enjoyed responsibly. It's just about a bit of moderation and employing some boundaries or, if that's too strong a word for you, some flexible agreements.
Maybe 2015 COULD be about losing the weight of technology. Maybe it's time to sit down as a family and determine when using devices is ok and when it is not. Not ok might be in the early morning hours before the first -- or second or third -- cup of coffee. Or at night in bed, considering that blue light is apparently Mr. Sandman's archenemy. Perhaps dinner and the hour after school is tech-free, ensuring that you actually have a shot of seeing your child's face instead of the top of his head. Together, create a framework for when it is ok -- the hour before dinner or the 15 minutes before school as long as other tasks have been completed.
And how about workplace situations? Is it really necessary to place the smartphone on the conference room table? Probably not. The office is tech-heavy as it is so an hour without being attached to a device is like vacation! If you're running the meeting, offer an empty basket at the entrance to the meeting with a note that simply states: Please silence phones and leave in this basket until the meeting adjourns. You will get some huffs and eye-rolls (after all, we are all a little childish when it comes to putting down a toy/gadget of any sort), but your colleagues might just thank you later for the free weight loss.
I recently came across this very same topic in a magazine article about graciously managing technology when entertaining guests. It was in a below-the-Mason-Dixon-Line publication I was leafing through while sitting in a lobby NOT on my phone (full disclosure: that's because I had inadvertently left in the car -- oh the horror!). But -- and forgive me here for such an obnoxious blanket statement -- many Southerners appreciate the finer points of entertaining, and the article made it clear that playing a video from YouTube while the Shrimp and Grits are being served is not considered a finer point.
So I am dedicating myself to some easy weight loss goals this year. I am limiting the times I am tethered to technology. After all, I wrote the book (for real) on The Fine Art of Small Talk. I am spending more time listening and less time scrolling because face-to-face time is more fulfilling than any face-to-screen time. If you look down too long, you're likely to miss out on the good things - like friends and family and colleagues. And the curb. And cookies. And champagne. And maybe another cookie.
Are you attempting a tech diet? Tell me about it. And cheers to a happy, healthy 2015.