Multitasking Media Mayhem

Upon watching a video of ongoing research on students who believe the can multitask with all their electronics, I really began to question how often I do the same. I realized that I literally cannot sit still and must have constant access to my phone, the computer or the television at some point in the day. When I recorded the hours one day as a semi-experiment I realized this further. In one 24 hour day I spent around six hours exposed to the media. Some days were longer and some days were shorter but that was around the average. I realized I am trying to multitask my electronics. On the certain day I monitored my media use, I would be typing a paper on the computer but keeping my iPhone right next to me in order to check constantly. Then later on into the evening I would watch TV, while trying to read a book or study for an exam. But the worst was the instant access to Facebook, Twitter and other entertaining websites that easily toke over my homework and study time. I was on Facebook constantly. I often get on Facebook the most and spend an hour easily, afterward forgetting why I opened my computer in the first place. Interestingly enough, this social website blocks true social skills as it prevents me from communicating and interacting with other people throughout the day. Therefore this media isolates me from me and I am usually using media alone. Given the expanse of the Internet, there is so many more valuable website I could be visiting and learning from instead of email and Facebook. Facebook provides a great way to share pictures and friends but the constant use of my time on it shows that I am addicted to being updated to minute matters. Honestly, the results of this log didn't surprise me because I knew that I was attached to the media in multiple forms. Just walking around my eyes are instantly drawn to newspaper and magazines being sold or to large billboard advertisements overhead. The majority of my thought process spring forth from the media I see around me and I am wrapped up in the latest ideas. I believe that media is accomplishing some great advances but in order to fully enjoy it we need to take steps back and balance the intake of the necessary and the unnecessary.