Digital Dependence

I can't even remember the exact moment I transitioned and became so dependent on my devices. I was always fascinated by tech, and I was relatively good at figuring out how they work. This was one of the reasons I chose the engineering path. But then I wasn't so dependent on my devices. I mostly just used my device to play games, talk to a couple of friends online, and receive calls. I remember I could go days without being on the internet. I didn't really have anything important I was doing then online so it wasn't a problem for me. There was even a time when I lost my phone and I was without a device for almost two months. That can't happen now though.

Now that I think about it, I think I remember how my dependence on my devices started. It all started when I was introduced to Hive. Suddenly I started having something that was valuable to do online so I started being online and using my device a lot more often. It wasn't so bad at the start because I was in and out due to various engagements, but all that changed during the lockdown period. A lot of things in my life including studies became heavily dependent on my devices. It was since that time my dependence on devices started. I don't think I have stayed up to 3 days without internet since the beginning of the lockdown.

I got a laptop and my productivity increased a lot, but so did my screen time. And then now I spend so much time on the screen I am afraid to check at times.

I use my devices for school work, fun stuff, reaching out to loved ones, crypto related stuff and investments. That's basically all my life is right now.

Once in a while, I do try to reduce my screen time. Not so regularly, but I have intentionally chosen to take breaks from all screens one day at a time when I can. They're usually a different experience and though usually hard are always a learning experience showing me how over dependent I am on my devices.

I don't like my dependence on my devices, but at the moment they are very important to me and not making use of them can have consequences ranging from annoying to flat out devastating and life changing. Perhaps in the future, I may not need them as much as I need them now ( I highly doubt that though). But for now, I have to accept that this is the way the world is. And it keeps moving more in that direction. There are so many opportunities on the internet and on a daily basis lives are being changed, so I don't see myself being less dependent on my devices anytime soon. I will try to take breaks occasionally as there's also a lot of beauty in the outside world. I just need to work harder and find that balance that seems to elude me.

~THANKS FOR READING~

_{Photo by Unseen studios from Unsplash}

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