As we move forward, the immersive world of AR/VR (the metaverse) is getting the upper hand on meaningful human interaction.
Recently, I was at a restaurant where a big family was seated at an adjacent table. The family was a mix of older folks around age 40 and younger teens. When the music turned to a peppy number, the adults couldn’t help but find their way to the dance floor. Clearly, they knew how to live in the moment and enjoy life. But the youngsters were what caught my attention. You would think the teens are more interested in dancing and enjoying life, right? To my utter disbelief, I saw four teens sitting in a row with their heads bent down. They were each engrossed in their mobile phones, oblivious to their surroundings.
No conversations, no appreciation for the music, nor environment, present in the physical world but lost in an alternate reality, the metaverse. It was a hard-hitting moment of truth for me – this could be our kids. In fact, this could be how the near future generations will live their lives, disconnected from their own family but connected to virtual communities. So what is the formula for happiness in this scenario?
Ever wondered if the Pursuit of Entertainment our Purpose in Life?
The simple solution is balance…
Actual conversations, authentic experiences, and real people trump over virtual – that’s a fact but being real takes effort, needs vulnerability, and a focus on priorities.
As modern humans, we crave attention, importance, and expression, all of which are easily accessible in the metaverse. Additionally, it’s an easy way to ‘not think’ but be entertained.
On the other hand, we also have an intrinsic need for a more profound experience of life which is impossible when we are constantly plugged into the digital world.
So is disengaging totally from the metaverse an option? It could be, but it comes with the risk of FOMO (fear of missing out) – leaving you feeling like a relic in the modern world.
But there is a middle path that you can traverse to stay included yet not be overpowered by your digital space. Here are 7 simple steps to strike the optimum balance.
1) Prioritize:
Always focus on what is important NOW. Health, Relationships, Career, and Abundance require conscious and continuous attention. Ignore any of them or take them for granted, and you risk causing severe setbacks to your life. Always focus on the top 5 things to do, top 5 people who matter the most, etc. This gives you a sense of how much time you can allocate to activities that matter more. It also provides a clear indication to reduce the time you spend on things that matter less.
2) Strategize:
Once you have a sense of what’s important in your life, you need to strategize your actions. One way to create time is to do a time audit of your regular day. Recognize the time wasters and create a ‘Stop Doing Things List.’ Then, try to eliminate your time wasters to the extent possible.
3) Time Management:
The human mind is naturally prone to distractions, and entertainment is a state of stimulated distraction. This obviously takes less effort for the brain, and it doesn’t have to think and can laze around in a way. This can lead to addictive behaviours if you don’t exercise some sense of control.
If you find yourself getting stuck in the procrastinates loop often, read this: The Procrastination Epidemic – Causes and Cures.
4) Express and Engage Positively:
The virtual world genuinely affords an opportunity to express ourselves better, showcase our talent, network, and easily reach more people than before. These significant benefits satisfy some of our intrinsic needs for importance, recognition, and influence. The likes, shares, and hits make your online presence more engaging and help release some feel-good chemicals that are rewarding in itself. When we get addicted to our identity in the digital world, we seek validation and approval for everything we do. The need to look good becomes a priority and distorts our personality and preferences.
If mindfulness is something you’re exploring, read this: Mindfulness for the Urban Professional – A Conversation.
5) Stop the chase:
Life is more than just a string of instant gratifications; and there are deeper aspects to life. Learning to deal with real problems and overcoming them helps us evolve into better humans. Avoiding problems by hiding in an unreal world does not help, so using the virtual universe as an escape is avoidable.
6) Emotional mastery – The key to an evolved human experience:
Being overly engaged in a virtual universe deprives us of feeling genuine emotions. Awareness of emotions, knowing what triggers you, and having a sense of how you come across are aspects of our personality that need working on to develop mastery. Empathy, gratitude, and kindness are keys that can help us develop emotional mastery, leading us to a deeper state of happiness.
7) Live intentionally – The winning formula:
Live an intentional life. And if you intend to spend time on social media and in the virtual space, that’s perfectly fine. Evolve your boundaries so that the lines don’t blur. Use the virtual space as an enhancer rather than a compulsive and addictive space and choose selective entertainment over mindless scrolling.
There is no perfect formula for happiness, but one thing to remember is the evolution of technology should serve our need for happiness at a deeper level. Avoid the trap of becoming a slave to technology.
We live in exciting and interesting times. If we can learn to live with the metaverse as an enabler, we can arrive at the destination of happiness.
This article on Achieving Balance was originally published by the PeopleFirst HR Magazine in the Vol.2 Issue No.1 May 2022 edition.