In our last blog two weeks ago, PJ Wehry raised our sights with regards to how we think about technology. If you missed his blog, Christianity and the Advance of Technology, I would strongly encourage you to read it. Here is just a blurb to whet your appetite:
Like Paul says in I Corinthians, those who have been given a trust are required to be faithful. We are not called to be successful, but we cannot shirk from the tasks that we have been entrusted with. As the radical evolution of technology continues to shape our lives and those around us, we cannot sit idly by and allow change to just happen. We need to engage with these questions so that we can be salt and light as we are meant to be.
How to Engage
Our workplace is a great starting point to think about how we might be salt and light. Everyone’s work demands are different and so then is the use of our technology, which is why when I came across this list I thought there might be one or two tips on this list that could help our engagement. About a year ago Forbes published an article entitled, Nine Tips for Managing Tech Distractions in the Workplace. These recommendations are still good ideas for us to consider. As Andy Crouch likes to remind us, either tech is owning you or you are owning tech. These tips will provide ways we can insure that we have the upper hand on tech and not the other way around.
While I struggle with poor tech habits and have lots of work to do myself, I am convinced that developing better tech rhythms and practices does not just happen rather we need to be thoughtful about it. Our deliberateness needs to bear in mind what we are communicating when others see us using our devices and what are reasonable expectations given your responsibilities (make sure you are good judge of what is reasonable.) After reviewing the list below, think about focusing on at least one tip whether it is one of these or not. Take the challenge and adopt the habit for the next couple of weeks. At the end of the two weeks assess the difference and keep up the good work. You can find a link to those nine tips here.
Often how we use our devices at work spills over into our personal and family lives where our poor tech habits follow us. This just compounds our issues.
Thinking back to PJ’s blog he was calling for engagement and thoughtfulness at multiple levels as he contextualized technology within history. Thinking about our habits at work is just one of the many aspects, complications, and issues that all the advances we keep making requires… but we need to start somewhere.
Crosland Stuart, of Crosland & Company, LLC, works with The Collaborative on marketing, recruiting, and content creation. Additionally, she also works in the areas of foundation consulting, communications, and is a literary agent.
