Meet my mind. It’s not always as peaceful as I’d like, particularly when I’ve been wrestling with technology. In fact, some demons appear with harsh words. They say, “A digital native would find this easy.” Or, “This is a young person’s game.” I take these moments as personal failures and attribute them to generational differences.
Funny thing, though. When I give up and ask my digital native 18-year-old to help, now and then he’s stumped. He doesn’t always have the tech answers. Yet he has no demons. He simply says he’s sorry and walks away.
There’s a spectrum along which older generations’ digital comfort falls, I’ve noticed. I would count myself towards the more adventurous end of that spectrum. Yet, I still find myself fearful when it comes to handling some trickier digital tasks. On the opposite end of the spectrum is my husband, who has made technology his personal nemesis and fights it tooth and nail. Usually to no good end. In helping him and in facing my own occasional challenges, I’ve come to rely on a few strategies to keep it friendly and easy. To not make it personal. The opposite of wrestling with technology is to find ease and success.
Take a breath
Slow down. Digital problems can really be frustrating. Unfortunately, frustration clouds thinking. So, begin any challenging tech situation with a calm mind. If need be, walk away and come back to it later.
Keep it simple
I’ve manufactured a few tech problems this year for myself by rather randomly using different platforms for writing—Google Docs, Word, Scrivener. Then I’ve had trouble finding the files. To simplify, I’m recommitting to Google Docs. I’m also finding that I don’t really need all the bells and whistles of some programs. The simpler the better. Yes, Scrivener can do it all. But I don’t need it all.
Make a manual
When I’m doing something complex, particularly in WordPress, I’ve learned to keep a simple log of my actions. Because invariably I will be faced with the same situation again and can’t remember what I did before. I don’t always need to refer to the notes—sometimes I actually do remember. But the changelog keeps me calm, knowing I can fall back on it.
Master search
Finding files and emails: It’s the digital version of losing your glasses. This can be a major source of frustration. The beauty of having so much digital memory available to us, is that it’s hardly ever necessary to delete something. Simply find the file. But where? Get good at search. For starters, read this or watch a tutorial like this. The same search concepts for Google will also pertain to most places outside of Google, too—email, websites, your hard drive. And of course, if you’re stumped with a technology problem, the first thing to do is Google it. You’re not the first, and someone has made a video to show you how to solve it.
Stay curious
Success builds confidence. That’s why it’s valuable to try new platforms. Play around a little. With every app you master, your confidence will help you master the next. Also, there’s a graphic language that almost all apps use—you’re learning it with every app you use. For example, once you notice the login button is almost always on the top right corner of the screen, you’ll know to look there when you begin poking around a new app.
If you can stop wrestling with technology, your career will benefit, as will other aspects of your life that are tech-dependent. Which is just about all of it.