Computers – Friend or Foe?

We race home from work at night to sign on to our computer. It doesn’t matter if we have been working on a computer all day – this is different – it’s enjoyable!

Is it actually enjoyable or are we becoming a society that is addicted to computers? Computers can be an invaluable tool and provide a lot of entertainment if used properly but they can also cause a lot of problems. Parents and their children are arguing over how much time their child is working or playing on the computer. Spouses are becoming tense and in some cases suspicious of their mate because of computers. Individuals are having serious health problems because of the way they are using computers.

Computers have not created these problems however the way they are being used has. If you have children that are using computers make sure that you know what they are doing on them. Block adult content sites from young children. Make sure their work area is ergonomically correct. Make sure they are using credible sites for their homework research. Also make sure that they aren’t relying on only the computer for proper spelling, math or grammar. Make sure they aren’t physically isolating themselves.

Spouses need time together. In today’s society it is sometimes difficult to find the time to take a walk or just have a quiet chat with your partner. If one of you is spending most of your ‘at home time’ on the computer it may put stress on your relationship. When there is work to do around the house or shopping to get it can become very stressful calling to your spouse several times to try to get him or her off the computer to come to help you. It also can be very lonely for someone to be sitting in another room watching television by themselves while the other person is playing or working on the computer.

In some cases people become suspicious of what their partner is doing (there is a lot of hype about adult chat sites) and more stress is put on the relationship.

Make sure that you are attentive to your spouse even while you are on the computer. Let them know what you are doing and how long you plan to be. For example a partner may be more tolerant if you tell them you will be an hour online sorting out and paying your monthly bills then if you tell them you will be online for an hour playing a computer game.

One easy solution is to buy a second computer. You can spend time in the same room while you are each ‘doing your own thing’ on the computer or
you could even play the same computer game together. Don’t stay on the computer while your spouse goes to bed by themself unless your lifestyle is one where you always have had separate bedtimes.

Spend some quality time with your spouse going for a walk or visiting friends – not all of your social time should be on the computer. Make sure that you help finish any work that needs to be done around the house such as mowing the lawn, doing dishes or going grocery shopping before you spend a prolonged amount of time on the computer. Keep a clock by the computer so you can see how much time you are spending on it.

Make sure your work area is ergonomically suited to yourself including proper lighting.

If you live alone the computer can be an invaluable asset to you. In addition to any work you want to do on it you can enjoy a lot of computer games or just ‘surf the net’ looking for items of interest. Some games are individually played while others can be played online going you a social ‘outing’. For those alone chatrooms can be a lot of fun. I don’t mean the ‘adult content’ chatrooms but ones that are compatible to your age or interests. You can converse with people all over the world and can spend hours learning about new places or things. Just be careful not to spend too long at a time on the computer. Take frequent breaks to avoid eyestrain or injuring your body. Make sure that you aren’t isolating yourself from your family and friends.

Remember anything should be in moderation. Don’t overdo your computer time and make it the only important thing in your life.

Article Source: http://www.christian-community-chapel.com/article

Irene Sherwood is a minister and freelance author. She has written articles covering a wide variety of subjects. Visit her website www.christian-community-chapel.com Christian Music - Article Directory - Audio Bible

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated