It’s a busy world out there.

We all contribute to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But it hasn’t always been that way. Prior generations commonly use the phrase “simpler times” when referring to days gone by. But what does this really mean? What are simpler times? Was the world every really slower-paced, or do we just feel like life moves at a fast-pace?

In 1984, Motorola introduced the first handheld cellphone…even though it is quite different than what we know of cellphones today. In hindsight, we now know this was the beginning of an inter-connected world, where everything is at our fingertips. We rely on the Internet of things to render instant access to anything going on anywhere in the world. We all want to be the first to see news on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Times were slower for our parents’ and grandparents’. They relied on their local newspaper, radio and TV station to deliver everything in the way of information. Deadlines at work were more dictated by snail mail and fax machines; things that many people today don’t rely on for. Technology just wasn’t at the level it is today. And the same technologies that we literally live by are the same ones that add complexity, stress, demand for time, busy-ness and the “need for speed” to what we think the world demands of us.

More than 200 years ago, patriot protestors drove British forces out of the United States, due in large part to the desire for freedom from excessive taxes. The Colonists defined for themselves what they would and wouldn’t do. They declared their independence from unjust rule and with this move, set in motion the beginning of the greatest nation on the planet.

Even in 2016, a revolution needs to occur, one where another freedom is enacted. A freedom from the feeling that we have to always be “on” and “connected”. Let’s pledge our loyalty to family time. To relaxation. To unplugging. To more time to stop and smell the roses. To watching sunsets. To sitting on the front porch and just “visiting” with friends, family and neighbors.

In an age where many people have a formal relationship with their connected devices, I think it’s time to break up and relax a bit. It worked out pretty well for the United States…maybe it can for you, too.

Article written by Matt Dubnik, Chief Engagement Officer.

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