Tech is giving us our time back – and it’s the most valuable thing
You can always earn more money, try new experiences, improve your appearance or whatever else it may be – but the one thing you can’t do is get your precious time back once it’s already been wasted.
Time is something we’re all acutely aware of passing, and yet in our busy lives, we’re forced to shove it to the back of our minds. Technology is actually helping in that respect, and while we’re often aware of the many different things out there, we don’t think of how they’re helping specifically in the context of giving us the precious gift of time.
Finding a partner
You’re probably pretty badass being single – but sometimes it’s nice to have someone to share life with. One of the main issues? Dating takes time – time we simply don’t have. It’s not as easy as simply taking the time to actually go on the date – it’s the time involved in actually choosing someone and, crucially, weeding out the ones who are a DEFINITE no-go.
Of course, you still have to make time to see someone and to get ready for that by choosing an outfit and doing any makeup and fixing your hair. And then once you find the right person, you have to make the effort there as well. But thanks to dating apps like Badoo, you can find people who are local (to save you messing around on travelling distances), and people who you’re attracted to and compatible with instantly.
You don’t need to meet up with someone to find out that they say things that are offensive, or that you don’t have anything in common – it’s usually all laid out in front of you from the first time you speak online (or even before that, because you can save even more time by simply reading their profile…).
No more messing around when you’re out and about thinking of ways to catch someone’s eye. No more waiting around for someone who’s clearly not worth it. And no more wasting hours of real-life conversation, only to find out that based on their views or the things that they say, they’re definitely not for you.
Efficient delivery
No time to cook before work/going out/sorting out the kids? No problem. Apps such as Deliveroo and UberEats have come to the rescue. You don’t even need to spend time researching local takeout options like you may have had to in the past, because they work using geolocation services to locate the places they work with nearby.
Not only can you save time cooking, modern technology has connected to other crucial time-saving solutions such as Amazon Prime. In Central London, for example, you can have a large selection of items delivered to you within the hour – yes, within the hour! You can get a variety of things you may need, that may well be time sensitive. A laptop charger when you’re working to a deadline, for example, or some cleaning products when you’re expecting last-minute company and you’re up to your eyeballs in other things.
Plenty of other places will also allow you to get guaranteed delivery the very next day, so you don’t need to spend hours looking for the perfect outfit to wear after a hard week of work this weekend!
So, whether you’re in too much of a rush to head out to the shops or it would simply take too much time out of your day, the solutions are there so you can get what you need in the most timely way.
Navigation
Can you imagine having to plan a road trip with only a paper map to guide you? Many of us won’t have to imagine at all – we’ve lived it! From painstakingly mapping out a route, seeking advice, and having to deal with delays we may not have anticipated, life before navigation systems and now, the glorious Google Maps, just wasn’t the same.
Google Maps works in real-time to give you a breakdown of not only your route, but the traffic that you might encounter along with diversions and information about any other delays. You don’t need to plan in advance, meaning you can be spontaneous with wherever you go. Plus, you can always download certain areas to use offline, great when your data is low or when you’re overseas.
As the trend of the rise of the digital nomad continues, this is even more relevant for today’s modern woman who might find herself navigating areas she’s otherwise unfamiliar with – so of course, it’s not just amazing for reasons like time – it’s also great for safety and peace of mind, too. But it’s also great for seeing more of the world on limited time – it’s not just maps that you can access more quickly, but everything from ride-sharing services in new areas, and the best bus and flight websites, too.
Keeping family & friends informed
Picture this: it’s 1980, and you’ve just got engaged. Nobody was around to film it and stick it on your Instagram story – such technology clearly didn’t exist. Nor were you able to send out a mass text or Facebook message, or simply post a status. Instead, you had to go about the painstaking task of calling each of your friends and family – individually – to share the good news.
Of course, it’s obviously wise to still call the important people in your life in such instances first (your mum might be pretty offended if you don’t), but in general, it’s easier to keep the people in your life informed of the goings on (if you want to), very easily, thanks to social media.
This saves you a lot of time both physically and mentally – sometimes it can be exhausting to repeat the same information over and over, and takes up a lot of valuable time.
No matter what it is that you need in life, there’s no doubt that modern technology makes things easier. But don’t take for granted exactly how much of that is because it saves you the most precious thing of all – your time.
