Do you ever feel like technology takes more from your life than it gives? Computer games, News on line, and googling everything and anything as little queries enter your head, My computer usage could easily be termed an addiction, and I know I could be a lot healthier in both mind and body if I made better use of my time. Some weeks my daily average screen time exceeds four hours, and if i’m to be honest with myself, more than half of that time is just mindless time wasting.
I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to manage my time better. Consequently I’ve deleted all computer games, Design Home, Chess, Sudoku, Crib, Patience, and a few others. I’m definitely not trying to get technology out of my life, just trying to make better use of it. I’d like it to enhance my life, and to let technology inspire me to live the best life I can. I generally find reading worthwhile blogs to be inspiring, but I often don’t do justice to the ones I’m genuinely interested in – why! Simply because I’ve been giving priority to games, or googling rubbish. It’s not just the reading of other peoples inspiring blogs that gets neglected, I often neglect my own blog too. So why don’t I consider reading about other people’s lives, or writing about my own life a waste of precious time?
The answer is simple. People like Jonno and Joanne from Jwalking inspire me to get out in the countryside and walk. Amanda from Something to ponder about, does just that, she gets me thinking about life in general. Miriam from out and about, gets me appreciating my own country, while itching for hitching gives me a good belly laugh. (Apologies to Itching for Hitching, I know all the hilarious nic-names for your friends, but I don’t know your name). There are so many more inspiring Bloggers that could be inspiring me on a regular basis to get the most out of my life, providing I take the time to let them.
As far as writing about my own life, when I make a conscious effort to write more, I often find myself in a bit of a quandary with nothing to write about. Then I realise that’s because I have been doing very little in the way of worthwhile pursuits, either mentally, or physically. Time used playing chess on line isn’t exactly a riveting topic to write about! On the other hand, watching ’The Queens Gambit,’ now that is definitely worthwhile. Have you watched it? If not, I can definitely recommend it. I could, of course, try to convince myself that playing chess on line is good mental stimulation, but really, it just isn’t. Like all on line gaming it sucks the life blood from you.
With all my on line games deleted, from now on I should have time to keep up to date with all of your stories, and I should have time to experience more of life for myself. If you’re interested, I’ll even have time to tell you all about it. Here’s to a life with less mindless use of technology! Here’s to a better life.
Life of Riley - on whatever 
Like a hoe to a garden, computers are a useful tool. You just don’t want to spend all day hoeing! Signed Lindsey Wood 😉
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Exactly. 4 plus hours a day is leaving me time poor.m
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Are you Lindsay Wood?
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Yep Lindsey Wood and poor old Woody.
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And @pendantry – I had a big laugh at your pun on Facey book….
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@Chris – I made the same mistake about Pendantry versus Pedantry!
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I don’t bother with online games any more and I try not to look at news apps too much. Otherwise, I’m finding I’m so busy doing other stuff I spend time with online things. I do really enjoy reading my regular blogs, including yours, and would never see that as time wasted. I’ve made friends and learned so much from others.
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Absolutely. I had enjoyed all the blogs I follow, but then the games started to take precedence. I need to get it back to how it was. I don’t consider keeping up with fellow bloggers a waste of time either. You are so right about learning a lot from them, and making friends.
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Hi Chris, I posted a comment and it disappeared!! Frustrating. But anyway, good on you and all the best with stepping away from technology, I agree that it can be a big distraction and time waster. I’ve also loved stepping away from it a bit while travelling and being on the road. Thanks for the mention too!
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Hi Chris, I think in this day and age we’re all guilty to a degree of allowing technology to take over our lives. Good on you for making the decision to step away a bit. I must admit that since we’ve been travelling I’m spending less time on my devices. Thanks so much for the mention also. I really enjoy your blog and reading about all your adventures too. Hopefully catch up one day soon. 😊
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I had been wasting far to much time playing the games, and then wondering why I’m so time poor. I’m looking forward to catching up soon too hopefully Miriam.
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A very interesting post! I’m not sure I entirely agree with it all, however.
You’re absolutely right that the internet can be distracting. Just this morning, I’ve been distracted from my original purpose several times (it’s how I ended up at your site here, in fact; would you argue that my visit here is a ‘waste of time’?). But I choose whether to accept these distractions, or not. (One strategy I employ is to use tools such as advert blockers and ‘DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials’; another is to avoid ‘social’ media sites such as faecesbook like the plague.)
There’s substantial evidence to suggest that games and similar activities can be incredibly useful for exercising the grey matter. I’ve deliberately emphasised such activities over the last couple of years, spurred on by watching in powerless trepidation as my mother’s mental faculties decline. I’m determined to do whatever I can to prolong my own ability to think. I do daily brain training using Elevate, and I’m also using Duolingo – to learn Klingon. Now, you might consider that studying a fictional language is a complete ‘waste of time’, but I do not.
Take walking: yes, I should do more of that – and in fact I recently embarked upon a program to do just that, as pandemic-induced inactivity has had adverse effects on my health. But beyond a certain point, the health benefits of walking dwindle; it’s moot whether it’s a ‘waste of time’ to walk too far just for the pleasure of it.
The Queen’s Gambit is, I agree, terrific. But having watched it twice already (and read the book on which it’s based at least twice), would you consider it a ‘waste of time’ to watch/ read it again?
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No judgement of others in my post, just my intentions for myself. Thanks for stopping by though.
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Hmm… I hope I didn’t give the impression that I thought you were being judgemental of others. I was just giving a response to your thought-provoking post.
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Not at Pedantry. All comments are welcome.
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Oh, phew. Thought I’d upset you.
(PS it’s ‘peNdantry’, not ‘Pedantry’! :P)
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Good on you, Chris! And I was really chuffed that you think my blog is inspiring! I so enjoy reading your adventures on and off the road. I don’t know how I came across your blog, but was interested in reading, from then on. From home decorating to caravanning to life topics, you cover a lot of topics that I enjoy reading about. As for Design home, I still have it and the game Redecor on my phone but rarely play it. When it comes down to it, we have less years left than we have lived and why spend it gaming. Like TV viewing, it helps to take your mind off life when it’s worrisome, but is so unproductive. And my concentration levels improve away from the screen. As my friend says, ” I refuse to mindlessly scroll (social media).”
Life is too short.
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Hi, fellow ?Random Raider! Fancy bumping into you here 🙂
You say: “And my concentration levels improve away from the screen.” That’s interesting; I find the opposite… take a gander at my response to Chris’s post (if/when it gets out of moderation, of course).
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Hey Colin! I guess it might depend on what you are doing on the screen!
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Well, yes, indeed.
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