Managing My Relationship to Technology

In my first blog post, I mentioned how it was a moment of ‘tech failure’ that inspired ReConnect in the first place: my (horror-filled) realisation that, first, my phone had died and, second, that I didn’t know what to do without it—even while I was with my closest mates.

The greater the distance between now and then, the more aware I become of just how dependent I was on tech at that time. The first thing I’d do after waking up in the morning was check my phone. While eating breakfast, too, I’d scroll. On the way to school each morning, it was the same.

Instead of giving myself time to prepare mentally for class, for a match, or for some form of entertainment—instead of giving my brain any kind of ‘palate-cleansing’, input-free break—I’d turn to my phone. Rather than unplugging, I’d plug right in. It was, in its own way, exhausting. I felt a continual pressure to respond, to comment, to acknowledge everyone else’s thoughts, ideas, and experiences to the exclusion of processing or reflecting on my own.

I’ve used ReConnect as an opportunity to reprioritise my own ideas and goals but also as a means of valuing—in an earnest, substantial way—the lives and interests of my peers. Whereas in the past, I felt my clicks were proof of my care for them and my attention to their needs, the activities I help sponsor, organise, and champion have a genuine, measurable positive impact on all our lives.

Whether through a football match, a hike, or journaling, these activities help us to connect both with the real world and with each other to build stronger bonds than any algorithm could ever facilitate.

I’d love to say that building ReConnect meant a clean break with the kind of tech energy-suck I’d experienced in the past. I owe it to you, my reader, to confess that I still struggle sometimes to put my phone down, to listen, and to engage with the sights and sounds—all the sensory input and potential stressors—of the world around me.

But here, I really think it’s ‘the thought’ and ‘the effort’ that count. Consciousness—mindfulness—is what matters, and is what will carry me into a healthier adult relationship with all the tech that surrounds us every day. Moderation is absolutely a virtue, and I look forward to moderate tech use alongside thrillingly immoderate real-world fun, adventure, and bond-building alongside my ReConnect peers.