Over the past few years, we’ve all been talking about slowing down. About walking barefoot on the grass again. About connecting to nature. About choosing real, raw connection with real people, not just screen interactions or perfectly curated posts.
We’ve talked about the value of taking our time. Time to think through possible solutions. Time to find ourselves. Time to build a career that feels aligned with our values. Time to nurture the relationships that matter most.
Enter AI and the age of instant gratification
And then… AI walks in.
Suddenly, we live in a world where you don’t just imagine an illustration, you write a prompt and voilà! There it is. Need a full report? Feed it the data and voilà again. It’s ready, in seconds. And with this instant access comes a new kind of pressure. One that whispers (or screams) faster, faster, faster. If AI can do it in a minute, what’s taking you so long?
I can’t help but wonder what this is doing to our collective anxiety. To our expectations. To our ability to simply be, without the constant need to do more, and be more, all the time. How do I manage this shift in a way that doesn’t leave me feeling like I’m falling behind if I’m not multitasking every waking moment?
How will I teach my children to wait for things? To understand that certain things can take time? That not everything is ready-made and instantly available, just because you want it? Because while AI can write our emails, automate our shopping, generate ideas, plan our week and do so many amazing things, it doesn’t teach patience. It doesn’t teach the rhythm of life. Of seasons. Of breath. Of silence. Of slow, sacred growth.
And don’t get me wrong. I’m not anti-tech. I use AI tools. I rely on them. I love that they help me cut down hours of admin so I can focus on the human side of what I do. But I still wonder, are we disconnecting from the natural rhythm of life? From the quiet truth that some things should take time? That not everything needs to be instant? Are we swapping the beauty of becoming for the rush of completion?
It’s already hard enough with the pings and pongs of a hundred apps screaming for our attention. Notifications promising ease, productivity, better everything. But how do we actually slow down? How do we reconnect with nature, not just the nature we see out the window, but the nature within us?
How do we make space for real human connection, when technology seems to be pulling us in the opposite direction?
Seeking balance in a fast-paced world
Sometimes, I romanticise the idea of moving to the middle of nowhere. Living off the land. No apps. No Wi-Fi. Just time, space, and what we create with our own hands. But then again, would that mean disconnecting from everyone else too?And if so, would that actually give us what we truly long for, connection?
Maybe the answer is somewhere in between. Maybe it’s not about abandoning the digital world altogether, but about choosing how we move through it. Because let’s be honest, AI is here to stay, and technology will only keep advancing. The question is: how do we want to live alongside it?
Pausing, questioning, listening.
For now, I choose to make space for real connections with my family and friends. To be present, enjoying simple moments in the garden with my daughters, going for a walk in nature with friends, and making time for a coffee and a heartfelt chat with those I love. And most of all, remembering that life, real life, was never meant to be instant.
If this resonates with you, explore my Reclaim your time and mind digital detox challenge: Reduce screen time and take back control. And if you are a parent you may want to check Why I’m not giving my daughter a smartphone.
