Rhythm/Balance in a Smartphone Age

I made a note to myself to blog about rhythm/balance in a Smartphone age. When I sat down to do it, it occured to me that I thought I had already written about rhythm. I checked back, and sure enough, a year ago, almost to the day, this was my topic. Check it out in the sidebar. I won't re-write it, but I will expand on it.



You can get an App for almost anything on a Smartphone. This includes: a fitness counter, diet monitor, time and travel tracker, and of course, keeping your finger on all of your favourite sports teams instantaneously. There are so many more Apps in which I have not taken any interest, but may be just for you! Many of them are free, too. Surely our lives should be fully under control by now.

Yet, how easy it is for the rhythm and balance in our lives to be totally out of control. Do we admit it? Of course not, because there must be just one more App to finally fix it all! I must admit that it is kind of handy to have almost my whole world saved into my phone, safely tucked away in the pouch on my belt or in my pocket.

The trick is to turn parts of it off in certain settings. If I am engaged in a meaningful conversation with someone and the smartphone rings, there is a wonderful button to hit called "Ignore." It sounds rude, but I think it is more rude to answer it. How can that person in the phone be more important than the person I am with? After all, they can leave a message.

Another button that is well worth it, and is never more than two clicks away, is the "All Alerts Off" button. It is so simple. When I am in a meeting, the people in the meeting have my full attention. When I am in church, I can still check my Bible on the phone, but never interrupt my worship experience (or that of my neighbour's) with a vibration, buzz, or - heaven forbid - a full-on ring! Sorry if I have ignored your call, email or text for more that a 1/2 day - it's because the "All Alerts Off" feature has been directing you to leave me messages.

Then there is the option of turning it completely off - what a concept. It sure makes for a good night's rest. And, you know what, the smartphone actually likes a rest too. Seriously, it works better after it has been given a rest!

Blessings in finding the rhythm and balance in your multi-sensory life.