Too dependent on technology and computers?

Last week my computer died. The keyboard just up and quit and no matter how hard I pressed the keys, nothing happened. I promptly ordered a replacement keyboard and replaced it - still nothing.

It wasn’t so bad, I grabbed every available notebook and continued writing, albeit much more slowly. I was able to phone customers and email correspondence was handled through my phone so all things considered the week went much better than it could have however it got me to thinking about our dependence on technology as internet based businesses. It’s a double edged sword sometimes.

I read an article today in the NY Times about the health hazards of being an online content writer. While I don’t believe I’m at the same risk as the folks in the article, because I do allow for time away from the computer, I workout, and I eat healthy, it does raise some interesting points about balance and how technology influences the immediacy of our lives and businesses as writers. You can view the article here

I guess what this whole week without a computer has taught me is that it is important to have systems in place to back up technology in the event that something breaks down and that it is important to be able to comfortably operate in the absence of technology.Technology is a wonderful thing, no doubt about it. Without it, my business model and my profits would look much different! However, every once in a while a broken computer can be a good thing too, right?