We’re certainly very grateful for modern gadgets because our lives are far easier with them. It feels like we’re living in the future! Unfortunately, these modern conveniences are actually making us quite lazy & in some cases, dumber. Here are thirteen of these “smart” conveniences!
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Autocorrect and Spell Check
Who hasn’t almost sent a text with a mistake that autocorrect managed to catch? And while it’s great not worrying about typos in every text or email, there’s a downside—relying too much on autocorrect. This stops us from learning how to spell those difficult words. Also, autocorrect doesn’t usually recognize slang – and changes words & entire meaning of sentences when we don’t want it to.
GPS and Navigation Apps
Thanks to GPS, the days of trying to fold a giant map in the car are largely gone. However, our sense of direction is taking a backseat. We always follow that soothing voice telling us where to turn — no longer figuring out directions on our own. So our internal compass has become a little lazy.
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Calculator Apps
When we were in school, we solved math problems in our heads—but now there’s an app for that. Why strain your brain when you’re trying to split a bill when your phone can do it faster & more accurately? Unfortunately, we’re paying the price for this convenience because our mental math skills are getting dusty.
Digital Calendars and Reminders
Digital calendars seriously help us to remember birthdays, appointments & meetings. But relying on them stops us from exercising our memory muscles as much and remembering stuff on our own is becoming an old-fashioned skill. As such, perhaps we should try to use our internal reminder system a little more often.
Search Engines
Got a question? Google it. While it’s amazing having all the answers at our fingertips, it has made us rather lazy in the learning department because we know we can find any fact in seconds. So, we don’t bother storing that info in our own memory bank. We’ve turned our brains into browsers—but with really poor history tracking.
Social Media Platforms
Social media is a constant stream of bite-sized info. It’s affecting our ability to focus & explore topics, especially since having so much content to scroll through has practically destroyed our attention spans. Essentially, we’ve trained our brains to crave quick hits of information. We need to get used to the longer release!
Streaming Services
Streaming services have certainly changed the way we consume media yet they’re also eating into the time. We used to do activities that improved our brains, like reading or picking up a new hobby – but now we’re glued to the screen. Think of it as if our brains are on a diet of junk food. Our brains need something more nutritious.
E-books and Audiobooks
E-books and audiobooks make reading super convenient, especially with features like instant definitions & narration. However, this convenience is stopping us from engaging with the text properly. After all, when you read a physical book, you’re more likely to reflect and connect the dots. Yet e-books make it too easy to skim & skip.
Voice-activated Assistants
“Hey Siri, what’s the weather?” Voice-activated assistants are our personal helpers who are on standby 24/7 & they make multitasking far easier. Even so, we’ve become too reliant on them for answers & things we could easily do ourselves, which has seriously affected our problem-solving skills.
Online Shopping
Online shopping means that you can find that perfect item without leaving your couch. But, it might be making our decision-making skills worse since we have endless options & easy returns. We might not be putting as much thought into our purchases since we’re clicking “buy” as soon as we can.
Fast Food and Meal Delivery Apps
Meal delivery apps are a blessing on busy days yet they’ve made us rather clueless in the kitchen. If we’re always ordering out instead of cooking, then we’ll stop learning how to whip up healthy & tasty meals. Our culinary skills are getting benched while Uber Eats has taken the field instead.
Automated Financial Tools
If we’re not careful, budgeting apps & robo-advisors could mean we start to lose our grip on personal finance basics. We’re allowing these tools to do all the heavy lifting—and our financial literacy could be getting a bit soft. As such, it’s high time we tried financial planning with our brains!
Instant Messaging Apps
Once upon a time, we actually had to wait for someone to be home to call them. Instant messaging apps have definitely made communication instant but there’s a flip side—our patience. Waiting for a reply for more than a few minutes can feel like an eternity and this makes us more anxious when immediate gratification isn’t possible.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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