We live in a society completely dependent on technology. The boom of technology integration into business has had many positive results. Employer to employee communication in many cases has drastically improved. For that matter, business communication with clients has become much more reliable. In all areas of living technology has in many ways improved day to day life.
Employers can often attest to the convenience of being able to contact employees in critical times outside of their regular hours, but this brings us to the balance portion of considering technology, for example cell phones, in relation to work. Too often, working adults find themselves unable to detach from company activities because they carry their work day home in their pocket via a cell phone. Take for example an engineer with an overly stacked work load that ends up on call after hours. There are also concerns such as texting while driving. Many reports even connect current bullying issues to excessive use of technology. Lack of work-life balance in working adults and families, high levels of stress, emotional incompetency, teen bullying, car accidents, family disconnect and other concerns have developed in relation to technology as well.
So what is a solution? In the case of teen cell phone activity, some parents have begun striking a contract with their child concerning the ownership of a cell phone. These contracts outline everything from being on silence during meals to when the phone is shut down in the evening. The most important fact is that these contracts act as a guideline for teens so they can keep their behaviors in check and find a healthy balance of cell phone use in their lives.
This contract idea is very applicable for adults as well. Not only could a personal cell phone contract benefit many adults, but computer contracts and email related personal contracts can be effective as well. Below is a four step process to pinpointing potential areas of needed personal contracts and how to develop the contract.
Photo Credit: Shho
4 Steps to developing a personal technology contract:
1) Consider how technology may be obstructing rather than nurturing relationships. Take time to consider how technology may be replacing face to face time with co-workers, friends, family and spouse. This can lead to serious obstruction of emotional connection with people you care about and can give you a jumping point in considering areas you may need a contract. Maybe you need two contracts, one concerning your phone and another for your television.
2) Outline the rules. You’ve just started your own personal phone contract. Be clear about what times you will allow yourself access to the phone.
3) Specify the consequences. Being specific about consequences heightens motivations. While you could literally punish yourself when you break the contract, this step is more about remembering why you made the contract. For example, if you wrote a rule that you cannot make a phone call after 9:30pm because you need to go to sleep, also write that rule is in place so you have energy for work the next morning.
4) Find a witness. Maybe this comes across as strange at first, but it has a purpose. Accountability can always be helpful when striving to achieve goals. Apply that truth to your contract by asking a family member or spouse to read it over and keep you accountable.
You made a contract for a reason. There are serious alterations you feel need to be made in order to maintain a healthy relationship with technology in your life. Take the contract seriously. Maybe you even pin it up next to your bed or on the dresser mirror to be reminded of it every day.
