Technology keeps the people who are physically remote to you, close to you. But it keeps the people who are physically close to you, away from you.

With so many Apps these days that help us communicate and connect with each other, social networks, chatters and the likes, when was the last time you picked up the phone and had a good long chat with a friend or a family member? These open-hearted conversations are now replaced with a photo and a comment on Facebook, a short Happy Birthday message on Instagram, short sentences on WhatsApp, straight to the point SMS messages and world leaders starting a war via Twitter.

What happened to us, that we are so time poor and cannot find the time to pick up the phone and have a chat, not to mention catch up for a drink with close friends on occasion. Why do we prefer to keep it short, pretending we keep in touch with more people than ever, yet our relationships are so shallow? And what beats me the most is the way we sometimes treat the older generation, our mums and dads, feeling obligated to keep in touch however getting away with it by sending a text message or a photo of our children. Well, that’s really nice but do follow up with a call to genuinely ask and see how are they doing?!

What about those scenarios where you ping pong emails and messages with someone about something important, and it feels like you don’t fully understand each other or missing the point. It happened to me quite a few times that I interpreted the meaning of an email or a message one way and after picking up the phone and having a proper conversation I realised how much the intended meaning was different. Keep it simple, I always say. Advanced technology can sometimes be a burden and can make things far more complicated than they really are.

Technology is here to make our lives easy, but don’t let it keep your relationships narrow and shallow. Use old technology and embrace the relationships you have. Next public holiday don’t just send a short Happy New Year message, pick up the phone and ask your friends how are they doing. Hey, why wait for so long, just pick up the phone now and give mum a call. Keep it personal.