Technology, boundaries, and discipline

By Anthony Sims Staff Writer Your phone tracks screen time to help you manage it, making life easier - it also tracks what keeps you online for as long as possible, because that’s how tech companies make money. While everyone has to make a living, electronics - like cigarettes - aren’t designed with our well-being in mind but rather to push us into an unhealthy relationship with technology. To protect ourselves, observe every aspect of that relationship. Try and set boundaries, and if we can’t, then end the aspect of the relationship that’s harmful. We can make change in the tech world by not supporting products that don’t respect our boundaries, but only if we are conscious of what they are and firm that they must be respected. While boundaries may differ from person to person, they should generally be oriented toward eliminating addictive software and features. Thereby, we will be in control of our relationship with technology. I will stress, though, if we can’t carve out a boundary, the program’s use must end. If not, we tell these companies that their harmful features and effects are OK. The effects of those harmful features are not to be ignored, as they are becoming increasingly pronounced in society. The worst part, however, is there’s no knowing what the total consequences of technology addiction will be. A study on college students by the National Library of Medicine showed “short-form video addiction not only directly impacted academic procrastination but also placed indirect effect on academic procrastination through attentional control.” As a consequence, we are more prone to boredom, it is harder for us to keep focus for long periods of time, and we are more likely to procrastinate on our work. There are plenty of studies out there which show the negative ramifications of excessive technological use on our mental health, social life, spending habits, and more. That’s the bad news - here’s the good. As much as tech companies would like us to believe that we need all these apps and features, or that we need our phones on us at all times, we don't. The challenge lies in understanding when the cons outweigh the pros in our usage. For example, while short form content is often funny, useful, and entertaining, it had an impact on my executive functioning capabilities, which I felt outweighed its pros. Once I decided this aspect was harmful, I researched third party extensions to remove short form content from apps I use, and if there was no fix, I would remove the apps. There are plenty of free browser extensions and app modifiers available, such as No Scroll, UnTrapt for YouTube, Distraction Free Instagram, and Socialfocus to name a few. When I removed programs, I intended to never come back, even if I wanted to in a moment of weakness. To prevent a relapse, I use programs which block websites and applications from use, such as Cold Turkey Blocker and Stay Focused. I have not used Reddit or YouTube on my laptop in over a week and will not be able to until late May. While it may seem harsh, these are the steps that I personally deemed necessary - yours may look different, but firm boundaries are a necessity for a stable relationship. One of the strongest boundaries we can set with technology is scheduling times when we don’t have it on us, meaning intentionally leaving our phones and laptops at home while going about our days. Doing so encourages us to be conscious of our usage, prioritizing the more important tasks due to the time constraint. It may seem wrong to not have your phone or laptop on you, but it’s also wrong to be available to technology all day. There is a time and place to respond to phone calls, emails, and even doomscroll, but that is not all the time. Phones didn’t always exist, before they did, people couldn’t be contacted quickly at any point within their day. While much has changed since then, make no mistake, you have a right to be unavailable and inaccessible. If people could manage back then, we can manage now too. Take heart, because the only thing that separates you from a clear, calculated mind is lifestyle - and that can be changed.