This year I succumbed to peer pressure and got an iPad. Actually, Hubby bought me the iPad as a gift. He probably thought he would get to use it too, and actually loaded the connection to his email on the device. LOL! As if he would be able to pry it from my hands.
Truthfully, I wanted to be part of the “in” crowd, with the latest technology, even though I really wasn’t sure why I needed this device when my laptop and iPhone were always close at hand.
The benefits of this device?
– I look cool and super-important while I surf the net at Starbucks
– Shopping – of course I just had to get an awesome case for it – but I discovered that I can online shop just about anywhere now. Sweet!
– My shoulder loves it! No need to struggle to carry the brick that’s my laptop when I travel, since my iPad allows me to stay connected, read attachments, etc.
– Multi-tasking: watch TV, chat with Hubby and keep up with FB all from the comfort of the couch
The downside:
– I. Am. Always. Connected.
How did I fall for this trap? Wasn’t it enough to own a smart phone, that’s almost surgically attached to my hand?
This wonderful, yet wicked, device with its awesome technology added another layer of complexity to my already action-packed life. While I’m not a true follower of the zodiac, I do believe I have some traits of my sign. As a Libra (the Scale), I really prefer that things are balanced. I am passionate about my work as well as my personal life, and I don’t want one getting more attention than the other. Yes there are times when one is busier. But that’s OK; I can handle chaos at work if home is calm. Likewise, chaos at home is fine as long as work is calm. But with all this connectivity, it seems like I’m never able to enjoy the calm.
Work is always on fire. Part of that is my chosen profession and while I love it, I’m making a note to myself: next career, try to pick something that’s not always a fire-drill. Hubby/family/friends are a top priority at home. Layer on top of that my passion for writing, including my recently published book, and I find myself always out of balance, running from one project to the next without any down-time.
It’s definitely harder to balance the three-legged stool of work-home-personal projects. Yet there has to be a way to do it. I’ve said before that the obvious solution would be to eliminate something. For me, it’s been more difficult since I experienced being laid off. The fear of being without a job is still top of mind, so I push myself to do more in the same amount of time. Definitely a losing proposition.
My goal now is to try and create boundaries that allow for all areas of my life. I don’t know how I’m going to achieve this, but it’s worth fighting for. We all need to take breaks – even just an evening off, or a whole day if possible. And vacations that take me away from it all are a must!
I’ve started to wean myself from connectivity for short periods of time. After all, I’m not the leader of the free world so I doubt that I’m really needed at any second of the day. Not peeking at an electronic device is much harder than I thought. Hubby and I try to hide our smart phones while dining so we can focus on each other, although we slip sometimes. Slowly I’m getting used to not bringing my iPad, including the fun case, when I go for coffee, hoping that I’ll sip my beverage and clear my mind.
Baby steps, I tell myself. Baby steps.
Like Tami, I was terminated once (By my best friend, BTW – he is now on the board of the agency I lead, so I got him back – ha!), but you don’t have to be unemployed to learn something from this book. 
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