Life is easier with technology: but is it happier?

Factors That Make Life Easier with Technology

The most prominent conveniences that technology has brought into our lives include the following:

• Enabling easy and smooth communication with others around the world.
• Providing the opportunity to access the latest information in various fields, whether scientific, news-related, or others.
• Opening the door to enroll in distance learning courses and self-learning.
• Allowing remote work and working in different countries without the need to travel.
• Providing easy methods for payment and money transfer.

The Relationship Between Happiness and Technology

It is clear that life becomes easier with technology, but does technology enhance happiness or take it away from life? This cannot be answered in a word or two, as technology, like anything else, has positive and negative sides. Achieving these sides depends on how the individual uses it. Here are some aspects that show how technology makes our lives happier:

• Engaging in Activities That Bring Happiness

Communicating with friends through text messages on social media and expressing oneself in groups formed on these platforms is one of the most prominent ways.

• Learning Good Habits and Being Able to Apply Them

Meditation is one of the most notable of these habits, and technology has facilitated practicing meditation. It is well-known that meditation has a happiness-inducing effect, as it can now be practiced through smartphone apps without needing to visit specialized centers. We recommend downloading the Tawazon app to benefit from its podcasts, meditations, and comprehensive information about different types of meditation.

• Self-Development

There is no doubt that self-development and learning new skills bring a feeling of happiness and self-satisfaction. As mentioned above, technology has made this easier by providing opportunities for distance learning and offering up-to-date information on various sciences.
On the other hand, the negative side of technology becomes clear to those who misuse it. Relying heavily on social media for relationships can cause individuals to disconnect from their family environment, which in turn reduces the happiness that stems from family bonds. A study was conducted to examine the effect of smartphones on happiness, where participants were divided into two groups: one group carried smartphones and the other did not. Both groups were asked to go to an unfamiliar place.

The result was that the group carrying smartphones arrived more easily, but the happiness levels were higher among those who did not carry phones. This was because they asked passersby for directions, which created feelings of social interaction, which in turn increased their happiness.