For good or bad, technology affects so many aspects of our daily lives, and this is a situation which is only going to increase with time. Undoubtedly there are areas where the use of a variety of gadgetry has had a positive impact. Smartphone apps allow household utilities to be controlled remotely while dating services can make it convenient to find potential partners. Here are three ways in which technology can affect your relationships.
Mental health
While it can clearly be demonstrated that technology has numerous benefits and that this will certainly impact on relationships, there will always be a downside. One of the key areas where technology has had a negative impact is in mental health. Social media is everywhere these days, and whether or not you are an active user of the likes of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or any of the other outlets, there is every chance you at least dabble and one or more of these and in modern world its hard to deny the profound impact of social media on relationships. The problem with these activities is they can become very time-consuming. This can place considerable pressure on any user when it comes to time management.
There is such pressure for users to keep abreast of their social media channels that this can have a detrimental effect on their health and wellbeing, from sleepless nights to stress inducement. Instagram, encouraging users to post regular images, or Facebook with its status reports, often encourage people to try and present and unnaturally positive image of themselves, suitably touched up by Photoshop. Negative comments on Twitter or Facebook can also be a source of dissatisfaction, and this will all help to create a situation in which a person’s mental health can be adversely impacted.
Lack of commitment
One unfortunate aspect of technology is the way it allows constant access to various channels, in real time. We’ve all been to restaurants where we look around and someone at the next table is sitting there with a mobile phone positioned just to the right of their cutlery. While their partner attempts to engage in conversation, this individual keeps one eye on their screen at all times, fingers poised to react to any incoming prompts.
While it might be the case someone is waiting on an important message, you can’t help but wonder how urgent anything must be where it seems to take priority over real-life conversation. If you find yourself in a situation where that tell-tale mobile phone is sitting at your place in the restaurant, then you really need to be concerned.
Substitute for real human experience
Mobile phone apps are certainly a fantastic recreational tool. Because we can access these platforms at any time, they can become too convenient. At times they can represent a wonderful way of spending some moments engaged in harmless recreational activity. They can be an indispensable aspect of a long train journey for instance. But taking your mobile phone into the bedroom at night is not to be recommended. If there’s a time and place for technology in a relationship, it isn’t bedtime.
There will always be a temptation to become engrossed in that screen, just when your partner is winding down and relaxing. It would be a far better idea to keep your phone on silent mode, so the only time you are aware of its existence is when the alarm beeps first thing in the morning.