While technology can add much to our lives I fear that it may remove even more. Remember the time before cell phones when you were not expected to immediately respond to every call? Now there is no thoughtfulness about answering a cell phone call, text, or email.  We just feel a buzz or hear a beep and respond. To begin integrating mindfulness into your daily life this is a good place to start.  When you receive that next call or text take a moment to think about whether or not you want to respond right away. Try to stop responding automatically for a day and see what happens. Take the time to actively decide whether you want to engage with the other person. Better yet don’t pull out your phone every time it rings.  Designate a time to review your calls and respond rather than always being connected.  While at home have times where the tech gadgets are off limits.

I suspect the last two sentences made a lot of people slightly nauseous.  But while being virtually connected can be a good thing, being fully emotionally connected to other people is better.  Real relationships matter to our overall well being.  A real relationship isn’t one where we are on the internet at the dinner table. That is sharing space. Remember when you need something it isn’t your Iphone that is going to be there for you it’s your friends and/or family. Take the time to make and nurture your real emotional connections for those are the only ones that really matter.