Balancing Technology with the Human Touch

Technology is an entity that you cannot live with, yet cannot live without. It is both a boon and a bane.

Technological advancements have shaped life in many ways, for better or worse. No one can refute that there have been great strides in all business industries because of it. It has helped humans reap personal and social benefits.

Used wisely, it has great potential. The key to managing it lies in balancing it in all aspects of our lives.

Progress has made technology a necessity. For a start, it points out more efficient ways to approach tasks. Advancements in computer technology have allowed students to learn without leaving their classrooms. It has automated the mundane work of human workers, freeing them up for other projects.

Technology promises greater excitement. The graphics, videos and eye-catching images lend excitement to learning.

It arouses a lackadaisical student's interest in studying.

Technological advancement is cost-efficient. Machines can create more output than humans. This results in cost savings, which enables companies to invest in other areas of their business.

It promotes innovation and stretches a person's creativity. Ebay, Zazzle, Amazon and Esty are online platforms for people to create their own businesses. Kickstarter, a source for crowd funding, allows creative people to generate funds for projects. This even leads to employers creating more jobs.

People have benefited socially from computers as well. In earlier years, expensive phone calls were the only way to communicate with a loved one who lived overseas. These days, Google Hangouts and Skype allow you to contact them instantly. Video conferencing even allows you to see them in real-time.

To add, it has made life more convenient. Transport is faster, with computer-controlled subway trains. With mobile phones, there is now no need to search for pay phones.

Computers and smart phones are a source of entertainment. They grant access to games, videos, music and social networks. Boredom is a thing of the past.

These boons having been acknowledged, there is a flip side to technology. Life needs to progress, but humans need to make improvements with these drawbacks in mind.

It creates a state of dependency. The more technologically advanced society becomes, the more reliant it becomes on all forms of technology for its existence. A case in point is how uncomfortable most people feel if they are away from their cell phones for too long. They become debilitated without their devices. Being less self-reliant puts them at a disadvantage.

Technology creates incidences of social isolation. People are spending more time playing video games than speaking to their loved ones. When people do interact physically, it is only too common to find their eyes focused on smart device screens.

With many tasks now automated, human workers are losing their value. Businesses either downsize or invest in other areas of their operations. Job loss is an overwhelming possibility.
Technology, while a great necessity, is also a source of destruction. Since the advent of the atom bomb, it has spawned other weapons of mass destruction. In the wrong hands, they devastate.

The concern then, is finding a balance in technology use. You need to marry technology with the human touch, and can do this in a few ways.

The first is to have a technology use policy for your family. Designate the devices that your family will use, and have a monitoring plan. To regulate your child's technology use, set clear consequences for its abuse.

Stay educated about the latest technology, so that you can place yourself as a proper role model for your family. Children are technologically savvy, and are more aware of developments than adults are. Parents need to stay in the know about the applications that are appealing to them, to decrease the possibilities for misuse.

Create technology times and zones in the home. Make the dinner table a place for conversation, and ban technology from it.

Spend time away from social media. While Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest may seem like relaxing hobbies, they can become a strain after a time. Everyone should make it a point to take technology breaks periodically.

Balancing technology with the human touch allows us to make the best use of it.