Put The Gadgets Down: Finding Time To Leave Technology Behind
About 20 people walked into the room, sat down and slid their phones, iPads and other devices toward the center of the table. It was the last session of the conference, and the rules were simple.
We would work our way around the table twice. On the first pass, each person was required to name one obstacle to achieving balance in their life. On the second pass, each person would identify one thing that has seemed to help them overcome that obstacle. In the end, we would leave the room with a new understanding of the problems we face and new set of tools with which to overcome them.
These were the Type A personalities. The always-on crowd. They ran companies or led big teams. Most of them were at the top of their professional game. By any standard of modern success, these folks were the achievers. They had the kinds of roles, careers and lives where you get to maintain some control, to decide how to spend your time, to sit back — every now and then — and figure out your priorities.
One by one, each person described an obstacle: I need to manage my team more effectively. I need to make more efficient use of my time. I need to spend more time connecting with my kids before they're too old to need me. While the themes were varied, the obstacles really weren't. In each case, the key obstacle being described was resting on the table, for a rare moment, just beyond arm's reach.
Everyone was basically complaining about technology.
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