As I was preparing to shut down my computer, it came to me that the day had come and gone and other than knowing it had been sunny (and I know this because of the annoying reflection off my computer screen mid-morning), I couldn’t tell you what the weather was like in my part of the world. Nor could I tell you what I ate or how my spouse was dressed.
I’m one of those lucky people: I get to telecommute and work from home. While it sounds like the perfect type of job to have, and in a way it is, because my work requires I be ‘connected’ that means I spend a lot of my time online. Not just for work either; and I’m not the only one.
It wasn’t that long ago that getting online meant you were looking for directions, trying to find a local business or reading the news. We still do that in large numbers, but social media sites began to catch our attention.
At first it was fun to spend a few minutes now and then to interact on social networks. Then we’d find ourselves ‘checking in’ to our sites daily. Now, for many, it’s not just a daily habit but one that’s turned into an addiction, requiring frequent social media injections from the time we wake until our head hits the pillow.
In a study done by ComScore.com they show some startling statistics.
“Social networking sites now reach 82 percent of the world’s online population, representing 1.2 Billion users around the world. Nearly 1 in every 5 minutes spent online is now spent on social networking sites.”
Our online and social media life has grown to such proportions that cell phones are no longer simply something used to make calls or send text messages. Almost every cell phone now manufactured has the option of accessing the internet and your social networking sites. Let’s not forget the whole culture of mobile devices that are designed specifically for internet and social media access. Did this technology revolve around our online addiction, or has our addiction grown because of the technology?
I used to think that online and social media use was only for the young and for a while that was true. Not any longer. ComScore.com also shows that ‘those of a certain age’ are also catching up with the times.
“Anyone with children might be under the impression that social networking is a ‘kids’ activity.’ Several years ago, there was some truth to that. However, in the last 18 to 24 months, that has changed completely. Social networking reach in older segments has all but caught up, to the point where it is now quite similar across age groups. In fact, users 55 and older represent the fastest growing segment in social networking usage.”
So after looking at this, what does it all mean? I haven’t a clue! But I do know that the next person who tells me to ‘get a life’ I’ll say I do have one. I simply choose to spend it online.
How about you? Do you find yourself spending more time online now than you did a year ago? What would you do if you couldn’t get online access for a week? Let’s talk about it.
I get a lot of guff from my family about how much time I spend online. Like Grace, my work is mostly online, so of course I’m on here all the time! I love what I do, and I am more than willing to avoid the DayStar in favor of the ‘tubez. I actually do spend a fair amount of time away from the computer and web, and I enjoy going for several days with no online interaction. I won’t go a week, however, unless I’ve prepared for it. The time-sensitive nature of serial writing means that if I have an unexpected outage, I’m nervous and unhappy. If I have a planned vacation, I am oh so happy.
Re: older populations using social media. So true! When my 70-something aunt got on FB, figured out the IM feature, and used “LOL” correctly, I thought I would have a conniption. But she’s largely home-bound, and social networking is all she has to look forward to most days. The internet allows her a level of connection, interaction, and awareness that was never available to her parents. Well, Gramma just turned 100, so technically it is available to her, but she doesn’t want to use it. You know what I mean.
For many people, excessive amounts of time online can be a problem. Yet I see that for these individuals, it’s much the same as a chemical addiction. Those who are already out of balance will find anything and everything to continue their imbalance. Those of us who want a balanced life will fit online time into an appropriate slot. Sometimes we have to spend more hours online to finish a project, but we will back off and relax.
As a follow-up, I would ask how spending lots of time online differs from any other time-intensive activity. For those who work online, this is the same as 16 consecutive hours in the office building. For the party-minded, this isn’t much different than spending all free time in other social locations. For those who would argue about face-to-face interaction, you can be just as false in a bar as online. It’s cheaper to stay at home and mix your own drinks, and you don’t have to worry about your hair or makeup unless you’re in a G+ Hangout and have your camera on.
You’re right when you say you have a choice to spend your time online, and I find that once I get home from work I try not to go near my computer just to give myself a mental break from the web and to remind myself of life outside it!