I have to say that I'm one of those individuals who, at times, gets bewildered by technology's seemingly relentless march forward. However, one fine day not too long ago, I had a thought - what if I could harness technology to make my life more positive? That led me to begin to explore beyond the basics of knowing how to use a computer well. The 8 things below are what I came up with:
1. Get yourself organized
As I've gotten older, even though I still live by myself, I've found that I do need help to manage everything from time to time. Rallyround is a great resource for allowing my family and friends to stay in touch with me and keep track of events, whether I need to do the groceries or arrange a meeting should I need to. My memory isn't what it used to be, so this online organizer is great!
2. Check out the view in an exotic location
For many people, including me, it isn't a possibility to just head off somewhere exotic on a whim, but I discovered that I can take myself to any location I please - in a virtual capacity that is! I love using Webcam Galore. One minute I can be on a glamorous cruise ship sailing the high seas, then I can be overlooking New York's Times Square the next.
3. Ask for a wireless digital photo frame as your next present
I love putting pictures of significant events and people in my life around my home, but what if the picture in the frame can be updated digitally as and when needed? Last year, I asked for a wireless digital photo frame as a present. Soon after, my son-in-law sent a picture of my newborn grandson straight to it! My family sends snaps directly to my digital photo frame quite often, and this makes me feel like I'm part of whatever they're doing.
4. Take a course
With the passage of time, I've come to learn that getting older doesn't mean that I have to stop learning. There's a whole range of correspondence courses available online that are specifically geared towards people just like you and me. Senior Planet has a great list for you to look at as an inspirational starting point, but if learning something new really interests you, you can always run a quick Google search to find something that really suits you.
5. Do your shopping
There are loads of online stores that deliver nationwide. I'm far too old to carry a big load of groceries by myself anymore, so online shopping really comes in handy. One of my favorite online stores is Amazon Grocery, however, there are many more. They'll deliver right to your door and at any time that's convenient for you.
6. Have a group video chat
I recently invested in one of these new, fancy smart TVs, but I didn't have a clue about how to operate it when I first had it installed. One of the things I like to do best is to take part in group video chats with friends and family - right through my TV! The website I used to do this is SpeakSet.
7. Take hold of your fear of online scams
In the past, I've found that my fear of being scammed on the internet, especially with regard to emails I receive, has stopped me from partaking in activities, promotions or otherwise that seem appealing to me. Luckily, I came across Hoax Slayer, which specifically details the emails I should watch out for, as well as giving me a reason not to worry about some others.
8. Use technology to do something amazing
After I retired, I had a lot of free time on my hands that I didn't really know what to do with. I realized that I could continue contributing to society without having to leave the comfort of my living room! The Granny Cloud is a great initiative that was set up to give support to underprivileged children in India. You can read more about it here. I like to think of it as a virtual surrogacy - it's very rewarding being able to talk to, be asked questions by and assist these children.
Maybe you could consider getting involved in this initiative, or a similar one, to enrich your life like you would never have imagined!
Images by Pixabay and Deposit Photos
