Had a good coaching call this afternoon with the mobility program folks (yes, one free week back in January turned into a twelve week program, has turned into a twelve month program now – I’m really enjoying it). The prompt for us to talk was about how (if at all) we track our workouts/physical well being. A lot of folks shared that they would use something until it got too much, then give it all up entirely, or for a short period, then resume the same ramping up of intensity regarding the pressure they felt from the tracking. I told them it reminded me of a conversation I had back when cell phones were still relatively new. Was out with friends and when one of them kept stopping in the middle of whatever we were doing to take calls, answer texts, another of my friends looked at him and said, “Remember that it’s your tool, not the other way around.”
That stuck with me (obviously), and I think it’s a useful framing to think about whatever device someone might be using to track activities (garmin, apple watch, etc.). It’s definitely an attitude I make sure people know I have with regard to my work cell phone – that thing is for my convenience; it’s not an electronic leash whereby anyone can reach me at any time.