We are saying more, we are consuming more, we are doing more. But the day is still just 24 hours long. That sucks. As we become more connected and more engaged online, there is a risk that we become more disengaged offline. Technology is increasingly demanding more of our time. We are getting hooked on the number of Connections, Friends, Retweets, Social Influence scores, Likes, and much more. Social addiction risks getting out of control. And I’m just not sure this is making our lives any better.
2013 will see more people question their quality of life in the digital economy. This year will see the rise of apps for good. Apps that encourage activities to improve their wellbeing will dominate the download charts. A walk in the forest, story time with the kids, a phone call to an old friend, drinking more water, an early night to bed…these old fashioned values still have a place yet they are losing out to the lure of shiny immersive gadgetary. They are even more relevant than ever in this digital economy. The well-being index will rise above so-called measures of social influence.
This digital world isn’t going anywhere, but we are consuming it in excess as if our lives depended on it. Like a kid let loose in a sweet shop, we’re grabbing all we can with no thought for the repercussions downstream. The more time we spend connected, the more we are neglecting ourselves and others. This year will see a trend in apps that will help us get the balance right and enjoy our life in every dimension.
