The perils of overload, the virtues of balance

Since the beginnings of the internet a mere 44 years ago and its popularization less than 20 years ago, life as we once know it has changed completely for onliners. Access to information is now virtually limitless - and at almost lightening speed, it's getting quicker all the time. Soon download time and bandwidth won't be an issue.

There are more books being published than ever before, and the rate is accelerating. If it isn't in the store, order it or just go online and let Amazon.com (or amazon.co.za) do it for you. Libraries are better stocked than ever before. So there is really nothing stopping anyone with or without connectivity getting any information they want. The only thing that stops us from doing or accomplishing virtually anything - is ourselves. So what stops so many of us?

Trouble is, today there are more distractions than ever - over 50 channels on digital TV, much more traffic to play in, more shopping malls and less icebergs. Today we are reading, exercising and sleeping less, working, eating and drinking more, There's more to buy, more to get, more Joneses to keep up with, but still the same 24 hours in each day. Before we blink - Christmas has come around again.

As the pressure mounts, we're losing track of our time and what we do with it. We're finding it more and more difficult to organize ourselves and stick to our plans. There are so many really important things that we want to accomplish "when we get to it" - but we never seem to because we're caught up in the pattern of what seems urgent (much of what isn't really…) and the rigmarole of everyday responsibilities. When we do take the time to attend a seminar or read a good book we often fail to implement what we've learned.

A consequence of our new microwave society is that people expect answers the same day. Our children want everything - and now! "Please" or "thank you" are now the new tools of manipulation rather than gratitude. "Anything I can do to help?" is now a rarity.

Progress accelerates. Since 1980, more new patents have been awarded than all the centuries leading up to that year. But these accomplishments are being made by a miniscule percentage of the world population. For the majority, it's a blurr. The accelerating pace of change has become so frenetic that those that didn't get with the programme, for whatever reason, are made aware that they're still stuck in the old economy. Not necessarily a bad thing if pace is not for you, but for those of us who live life online, taking time out to evaluate if you're on track is vital. Remember when it was "Do you have a fax?". Then "What's your fax number?" - assuming you must have one like everyone else. The cell phone followed, then shortly afterwards email. How did we survive without them? And in reality, how are we managing to live with them? Not too well, it seems. In retrospect are you better off online, or offline?

In getting so ahead aren't we perhaps getting a little ahead of ourselves? Don't we sometimes forget why we're alive, or is it just that we've not found out yet?

It is more important and infinitely more rewarding to read your 4 or 8 year old a story than it is to browse the web. It's far more fun walking and talking about the day gone past with your spouse than watching the box. It's a great idea to switch off your cell phone at supper time and leave it off - yes, until the next morning! And life can be great - and different if we just leave the TV off all day - especially if it's a weekend day. Imagine!

If we don't take control of our lives, we will wake up one day realizing that we don't have much of it left because we forgot to take care of ourselves as we spend increasing amounts of time with our heads buried in a monitor. No amount of money is worth paying that high a price. Truth is that once you're gone, no one will care how hard you worked to earn it, they'll be too busy squabbling about who's getting it.

They will, however, remember the legacy you've built and how hard you worked to build it. You'll be remembered for what you said and who you inspired. They'll remember who you were rather than what you had.

There's something in this for you too. While you build your legacy, you'll be able to reflect on the pleasure of contribution, what fun life can be if you let it and what a thrill it is to see others grow and prosper because you had time for them.

That's got to be the real reason why.

Paul du Toit.