Have we become slaves of technology?

Do you remember what life was like before answering machines, faxes and cell phones? It was simpler. I remember having only one phone in the house for a family of six. Still, it hasn't been so many years since most of us had just one phone in the house.

In those days, if somebody called you and you weren't home, they called back and hoped to get you later. If you happened to be on the phone they got a busy signal and still had to call you back when the line was free. They were responsible for getting to you and delivering news or messages important to them.

Now we have the internet and email and people expect instant responses when sending email. No matter that you aren't sitting in front of your computer 24 hours a day just waiting for their email in. 

It's all gotten out of hand and we are becoming slaves to technology more every day. Not only is technology changing our world at an unprecedented rate, we are struggling to keep up. We have access to more information than we could possibly need. We can send messages across the globe and "talk" to people on the other side of the world. We are running a technology race and we're going to lose if we continue to run it. There is a way to win, though. It requires some major shifts on your part and I guarantee it's worth it.

Answer these questions:

1. Do you think that you are a slave to technology?

2. Do you check your email first thing in the morning before anything else?

3. Is the answering machine your first destination when you come into the house from being out?

4. When the phone rings, do you run to answer it? Do you feel guilty if you don't?

5. When you're home and in the middle of a conversation, a task or a meal and the phone rings, do you stop to listen to the message instead of just letting the machine do it's job?

6. Do you feel compelled to answer emails and return calls as soon as you get them?

7. Do you carry a beeper and jump to respond to each message?

8. Do you talk on a cell phone when you're having lunch with somebody else (or in your car or when you have any kind of non-committed time)?

9. Do you have call-waiting and interrupt telephone conversations to check who else might be calling you?

10. Do you feel totally overwhelmed by the volume of calls and emails you think you have to return to people?

If you are being honest, most of you will answer yes to at least three of these questions. Even one "yes" is a red flag, though, and means you are a slave to technology to some degree. It's not a right or wrong. It's a trap you've fallen into and it's time to get out. Wouldn't you rather shed all that and take back control of your life?