Monday Motivation: Screen Time is a Silver Lining

Monday Motivation, Inspiration, Wisdom for Women Entrepreneurs, Female Business Owners, Small Businesses

As daughters of a woman who didn’t want us watching television on beautiful summer days, my sister and I grew up finding lovely summer mornings our literal playground. A simmering lake with a sailfish, dock with inner tubes, and invitations to join others on motor boats were our way of summer living. The only place we watched TV was at my Aunt’s house where they had the very special “cable room” with access to a multitude of stations and programs. It was a unique treat to be able to watch so many different movies and shows after a long day of frolic on the lake.

Just as I launched my first company in the 1995, it made sense I didn’t have a computer at home. The only place I used a screen to process work was in my higher education job where the Internet, websites and screen life was changing from typewriters to personal computers. Laptops and iphones were not part of the screen scene yet. My only computer training occurred at that job. It wasn’t until I started my pioneering home-based business that I realized quickly I needed a computer to conduct work. Thanks to a gift from a ‘wealthy’ friend of my husband’s, I landed his college computer to work on. The new screen was all I needed to get working since my service business didn’t require much more technology at that time besides a $750 new website to promote my new business.

Fast forward 25 years – a quarter-century – to this week reviewing my calendar to see a Zoom Podcast interview today, my own Women TIES Zoom Program for women entrepreneurs tomorrow, two Zoom educational events for myself to learn strategic planning Wednesday and Thursday, and then a Zoom networking call with new ‘strategy buddies’ on Friday. My life as a woman entrepreneur in the new pandemic screams only of screen time. Even my enjoyment watching the Dave Matthews Band happens now every Wednesday night on my family television instead of in person. I laugh when my iphone tells me my “screen time has increased 14%” on any given week.

My 87-year-old aunt reminded me recently of popcorn nights with soda during her upbringing when an uncle was the only family member with a new black and white television. The entire family exuberantly gathered around to watch a show, enjoy time together, and be grateful for the new medium. Perhaps we should feel that way today learning and working from our screens instead of having “Zoom exhaustion?”

As one a member said to me recently, life is too short not to look for silver linings in situations, perhaps today is the day you realize the advancements in technology can keep you educated, connected, and even inspired in this social distancing situation for work and family. You can also have the best of both worlds by conducting business via screen time and then going dark, putting your phone down and turning your computer off and get outside to enjoy this beautiful season of life in Central New York.