Will private space ever be private again?

Attention-seeking technology and our addiction to it are driving technology-creep into our personal spaces.

Can I join you in the shower, asked the smartphone.

I was having lunch with some friends recently and noticed that one person in the group was particularly engaged with his phone. Totally locked in. No thought to any of the social implications of his actions. We got to talking about his phone obsession and he shared with me that he takes his phone into the shower. Insert shocked face here.

In terms of smartphone design, it makes sense. Newer phones are waterproof, so you can quite happily use them in the shower. The next evolutionary step after using a phone at the beach or in the rain. There is a boundary between personal and public spaces where technology is creeping in. The shower is generally a private space, it has more in common with a toilet (the unhygienic sanctuary of home and office smartphone use) than being outdoors.

Bathrooms do not have an exclusive history of being quiet places. Many people have a radio or speakers hooked up in the bathroom. The difference here is the interaction is not limited to audio. The visual aspect of smartphones captures our attention more quickly than music. We are engaged in a way that often excludes the ability to think about anything else.

Always on

This technology-creep also affects our work-life balance. If you can’t get away from work in the shower, when can you really escape it? It is not just a matter of escaping Wi-Fi, to truly get away from technology-creep you have to get away from any telephone coverage. Being connected leads to a situation where work is ‘always on’. Our Paleolithic brains were not designed for the constant stimulation that technology can provide. To counter this, we need time to decompress. We need spaces free of distraction. Places to slow down and be at peace.

The great technology-creep land grab

This is not just about our private spaces. Using tech in the shower leads us to reflect on our public spaces structured around deeper thought and reflection. Is technology use creeping into art galleries, war memorials, religious ceremonies, or even funerals? Old boundaries are being swiped aside.

In-flight Wi-Fi is practically everywhere now, it is easier than ever for an airline pilot to have their attention taken away for a few crucial moments. Picture a surgeon, prepping for a risky procedure, the phone buzzes with a new notification, a message from home. It is easy enough to ignore it and continue on with pre-op. But it isn’t. Our attention has been diverted, and even a moment is enough for us to lose focus.

Wake up and focus

On a personal level, my morning routine is important to get me in the right frame of mind for the day ahead. I need certain spaces to be free of distractions to get things done.

The shower is where I set out what I need to achieve that day. I plan out my goals the night before, but it is in the shower is where I get focused. That is where I go over what my top priorities are and work out what I need to do to achieve them. The second part of my shower time is positive reinforcement. The shower is where I hype myself up for the day ahead. These two small routines that are important to me being productive.

Who is driving your shower?

This situation is a combination of attention-seeking technology and our addiction to it that is driving the technology-creep into our personal spaces.

The solution is simple. Set boundaries for your technology use.

Do you really need all of those notifications harassing you all day?

Everyone has their own relationship with technology, so you need to set boundaries that work for you. Write them down and stick to them.

Taking control of your technology is the priority. You can’t let it lead you. Be the designer, not the end-user.

#technologyuse #personalspace #waterproof #technologycreep