Quite often, we hear of the launch pad. This is the platform from which a missile, spacecraft, or launch vehicle undergoes final prelaunch checkout and countdown and from which it is launched from the surface of the earth. Any wrong calculation or prelaunch checkout can send the craft on a wrong trajectory with dire consequences.
The home can be likened to the launch pad for both parents and children. It’s the place where you reinvigorate and re-strategize. A place of peace to nurture new ideas and innovations. For us to make any meaningful impact to the society, our homes must be a place of absolute tranquility.
The home to our utter amazement is becoming chaotic. This is as a result of the evolution of the Internet of Things and an upsurge in technological innovations. Every household wants to integrate smart devices and automation.
A research carried out by the Groupe Spéciale Mobile Association in 2015 reports that one in four people in Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US owned a connected device—and that 89 percent of respondents hoped for seamless connectivity between their home devices in the future.
The hustle and bustle we undergo at our different daily tasks either at work or in schools constitute a huge stress which if not handled properly could lead to psychological and mental breakdowns. We don’t need to add unnecessarily to this by any means given the ubiquity of technology in our lives.
Effects of technology on our mental health
Dr Igor Pantic, writing in the literature review “Online Social Networking and Mental Health,” a publication of the U.S. National Library of Medicine says that there is little doubt that the internet and social media platforms such as the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have had a notable impact on the way that individual communicates.
Pantic goes on to explain that a number of recent studies have observed a link between social media use and certain mental health problems including anxiety and depression. Pantic proffered some possible reasons for the findings, explaining that social media sites, for some individuals, can trigger feelings of low self-esteem.
For example, a social media site user may see other people on the site and assume those individuals are more successful, beautiful, intelligent and so on. Pantic explained that a study examining students at a Utah university found those who routinely used social media sites tended to feel as though their peers were more successful and happier than they were
After the daily routine which by any standard is tasking and hectic, we should be able to retire to a serene environment to recoup, recap, and refreshen for another day’s onslaught. We are not expected to end in another “war zone” which we can unwittingly turn our homes into with the aid of technology
The chaos of connectivity
“There’s so much innovation, and there’s so much connectedness going on very rapidly, but no one is in control,” Cohen said. Whether it’s unsecured data in mismanaged data centers or the lack of regulation for cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, Cohen sees a Wild West period of chaos before ground rules are established.
“It is a really brave, new world,” he said. “It’s like a hyper-democracy and a hyper risky state at the same time.” The situation described by Cohen absolutely poses a grave danger since we are toying with nonlinear things that are effectively impossible to predict or control like turbulence.
We should realize that small changes in the initial conditions lead to drastic changes in the results. This undoubtedly gives rise to ‘The Butterfly Effect’ — The effect grants the power to cause a hurricane in China to a butterfly flapping its wings in New Mexico — an effect that is potentially very dangerous and the outcome very catastrophic
We may not be able to do away with technology but we can take at least a step to stem the chaotic situation that can arise as a result of the advancement of technology in our homes.
Removal of distractions
Technology is an energy drain, but removing technology completely from your home is easier said than done. You may not want to believe it but some of these gadgets we assume help us to relax, actually stress us up the more.
Instead of focusing on eliminating distractions, find ways to remove them from your sight when it’s time to embrace quiet time and recharge. In the living room or family room, choose entertainment centers that can fully close.
This way, when it’s time to relax and unwind, you’ll be less tempted to be distracted by your television.