The Voice We Choose To Hear
Sometimes I can really miss the point that brings together powerful ideas. The most recent occurrence happened last Sunday when I pondered what I would write in this week’s Sunday Morning Joe.
Typically, I read a few blogs, talk my with my wife and daughter, or scan through recent notes and photos to see if an idea emerges. This is my algorithm for discovering “trending topics.” It is not uncommon to dwell upon what to write for several days as the next Sunday approaches.
This week, a clear voice broke through. I returned to the most obvious source of topics that I should use more — your responses to Sunday Morning Joe.
As I dig into past posts and read responses, I am struck by patterns that I failed to notice the first time I read your observations and life reflections.
Take a look at a few responses to the same post:
“I have been trapped in this routine.”
“What if I kept that first hour to myself and my family? What if!”
“Solitude is something that I had starved my soul from. Acted like one weekend a year was enough.”
“I just deleted about 25 apps off my phone including FB. I have to log in to check it now… maybe once a week on the weekend.”
This is a small, powerful representation of your fellow Sunday Morning Joe readers who responded to the disruptive force of technology in their lives. These messages range from “waking up” to “taking action.”
One reader expands deeper.
“There are so many emails, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. that used to take up such a huge part of my day. Now they only take up possibly 5–10 minutes each day. It gives me much more time to be me, to think for myself, no distractions. I can dream while not distracted.”
As we attempt to slow down, improve health, and create the space to let simplicity into our lives, what are the forces and barriers that would be most threatened if we succeed in doing this?
Another response answers this:
“Too many apps, too many things, too many options, too many memberships, most with user ID’s and passwords. Most are ‘free’ all in the spirit of ‘convenience’ and ‘simplicity’. Most are parasitic loads on our lives and they add up. But they’re not free to us — they take precious time. The parasites get free access to your data and habits to attach even more parasites to us! We sign up so easily just in case we might use them, or thinking we will actually use them. But actually using them generally comes at the expense of something more meaningful and valuable…”
A new app on your phone does not add a single ounce to the device. But, make no mistake — each app is real weight that drags us down… on the app’s terms, not ours, with no compassion, boundaries, or apologies.
Most Sundays, I suggest to my readers to share my posts with a crafty hashtag on social media. Not today.
Instead, start a conversation with friends or colleagues — as close to person-to-person as possible — about the weight of technology. I am curious to know if your community feels what some Sunday Morning Joe readers feel too.
Your observations and life reflections create a collective voice which reminds us that better is not only choosing to do more of the right actions but equally choosing to do fewer actions.
With gratitude,
-Joe
Perform your best at what matters most without compromising your life. Let’s design your simple and clear plan to get you and your team outside of the day-to-day rush of life and bring focus to what truly matters most.
