Simpleology Blog

Extremely Gadget-Crazy. Canadian comic Rick Mercer presents a spoof of a BlackBerry ad, where he pokes fun at users who have become way too attached to their gadget.

Technology has made our lives easier--but most of us are paying the price for the convenience it brings.

Without realizing it, many people have become overly-attached or totally dependent on their gadgets. For instance, I have a friend who takes his BlackBerry with him to the bathroom. Then there's my sister who hyperventilates when her building's Wi-Fi connection glitches out. And, of course, there's me. I have to admit that my day doesn't feel right when I haven't spent some time bonding with my machine. Plus, I get antsy when I don't have my mobile phone in my pocket.

So, am I addicted to my gadgets? Life coach Judith Wright, author of The Soft Addiction Solution, enumerates the top three signs of gadget addiction and gives tips on how you can start kicking your gadget-crazy habit:

1. Virtual Reality Attachment
Gadget-Crazy Symptom: You text pals more than you talk to them.
Simple Cure: For every ten to twenty messages, arrange a "real-life" encounter with your family and friends. Unless they're living out of town or overseas, you have to make an effort to bond with your loved ones.

2. Security Blanket Syndrome
Gadget-Crazy Symptom: You feel jittery when your tech tool of choice isn't within touching distance at all times. You carry it around like a security blanket.
Simple Cure: Designate specific places in your home as no-gadget zones. (My picks: the bathroom, the dining table, and the bedroom.) Surely, your heart won't stop beating if your gadget isn't in the shower with you.

3. Secret SMS Freak-Out
Gadget-Crazy Symptom: You stealthily type text messages on your cellphone while you're in a meeting, out to dinner, or at the movies.
Simple Cure: Unless you're expecting a really important call or message, you have to turn off your gadget and totally focus on what you're doing. Tell everyone that you can only be reached via your cellphone at certain hours.

Wright emphasizes that while these nifty mini-machines were built to speed up things for us, we shouldn't let them take over our lives. Bottom line: Yes, we need them--but we can live without them.