Connection and Calamity: How Technology Makes You Feel Too Reachable

Phones are a lifeline to connection. They let us stay in touch with college friends who've moved away, family on the other side of the world, your neighbors down the street, and even your housemates in the room next door. Whether it's to video call and catch up or to just send each other funny videos, technology keeps you constantly connected to other people, even when you might be physically alone.

At what point does this connection feel incessant and overwhelming? Always having your phone within five feet of you means the continuous opportunity for notifications, requests, questions, and bids for connection. A part of your awareness might always feel dedicated to staying vigilant, checking your phone, or just being aware that the screen can light up at any point.

Consider the following reflection questions to reframe your relationship with technology:

• How urgent do notifications feel?

• How quickly or slowly do you expect yourself to check on a notification?

• How quickly or slowly do you expect yourself to respond and engage with a notification?

• How easy or difficult is it to remain attuned to your present activity when you see a notification?

If you consider some of these questions and recognize that this availability is more overwhelming than you'd like it to be, consider the following opportunities:

• Turn on "Emergency Bypass" or a similar setting for your important contacts, so you can rest easy that their notifications will come through if you're on "Do Not Disturb."

• Go through your apps and turn off any non-essential notifications, including promotional advertisements.

• Go through your social media apps and consider turning off notifications.

• Consider turning on "Do Not Disturb" automatically during certain times of day, or when you're doing an activity where you want to be more present.

Technology can make us feel like connection is an expectation, but it's important to recognize where your priorities lie. How is being connected through technology affecting disconnect in your every day life?