Alison and I are both up for phone upgrades this month. It was with great glee that I watched the Apple September media event, knowing that I'd soon integrate this new technology into my workflow. Technology drives my work here at Catholic Husband and my work designing websites; its purpose is to make my life easier, better. There are apps to measure fitness, track chronic conditions, share news, connect with the world, check the weather, manage my business, and more. Yet, lately I’ve been feeling that my phone is starting to be more of a hinderance than a help.

How we interact with technology is largely in our control. Our technology submits to our commands. My phone won't ring an alarm at 5am unless I tell it to. My phone won't send me text notifications unless I tell it to. With the unpredictability of Benedict doing something cute or amusing, I feel compelled to keep my phone on me at all times so that I can be ready to capture the moment and preserve it for later in life. The question then becomes, despite this urge to capture all of these moments, do I really need my phone on me at all times?

The answer, of course, is no. In order to break this addiction, I'm going to intentionally change some habits. I'm not going to look at my phone right when I get up (except to turn off my alarm) or right before I go to bed. When Benedict is awake, I'm also not going to look at it, unless we're FaceTiming or I need to quickly text someone or capture an idea. I'll accomplish this by leaving my phone on a table in the family room instead of keeping it in my pocket. Lastly, I'm going to evaluate my apps and keep only those that bring value to my life.

I'm going to get back to a proper balance with technology in my life. It's not going to be the center of my digital life, but rather a tool to help me go further, faster, when I decide the timing is appropriate.

Tags: Manliness