Technology in our lives has really advanced at an amazing rate over the past 20 years. We’ve gone from a world where electronics made some things in our lives easier to a world where technology is completely immersed in our daily lives.

One of Benedict’s favorite things to do is to grab Alison or I’s cell phones. He sees us using them all of the time and so he wants to hold it. While I wish he didn’t perceive it as so pivotal in my life, I really do use my phone for everything. I use it for tracking exercise, keeping a food diary, logging all of the daily events in his life (feedings, naps, etc), communicating with Alison while she's at work, and even running my business.

The funny thing is that with all of this new communication technology, we’ve become worse communicators. The one thing that technology sought to improve has actually created a bit of a barrier. We sit in the same room as our spouses, and we text them. We eat dinner and are checking our Twitter feeds. We go out on dates and update Facebook.

Alison and I have come up with a small solution to help us start taking back our lives. We call it the “Technology Bowl.” It’s a glass bowl that a friend gave us for our wedding. At dinner time, during date night, and during family game time, we put our phones in the bowl. These particular times are reserved for family time.

What this does is create a barrier. There’s a clear demarkation… this isn’t time for surfing, this is time for human connection. It improves our communication by removing communication devices from our line of sight… a true irony!

Sure, questions can’t be immediately answered using Google. We can’t see who texted us. But we can connect on a human, emotional level with the people in the room. We can just enjoy our family right there. We can get back to basics.

Technology is designed to be mastered. Just keep in mind who the master really is.

Tags: Communication