Does Your Smart Watch Own You?

I have been debating this with a few people since these devices became as popular as they are.  Ever since I was young, I was always interested in how far, how fast and how many of the things that I did I could record and calculate.

So when I heard about the first device that did all of this, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.  The cost was irrelevant at the time…. I had a need and a want. Suddenly someone out there had made my dreams come true.

I went from just a regular step counter to a watch that does so much now that I don’t think I can keep up with.  When It was just a step counter it was just giving me a number at the end of the day and no matter what it was, the next day I wanted to do more steps... And so the story begins.

The smart watches of today can do so much more now and I am finding it is running my life on a daily basis.  I can’t seem to go a day without it on my wrist.  Every time I have a new download and update, I find it doing more and more things.  It counts my steps, measures my calories, takes my heart rate, reminds me to get up and get active.  It is even possible to challenge and compete with my friends.   Oh, I tried that once and realized I lost that challenge because their day ended after mine due to time zone differences and I lost by a thousand steps…. I am yet to forgive myself.  So does my smart watch own me?  Sure it does.

For some, this might be their biggest nightmare, a reminder that they are lazy or the fact that they have had more coffee than they should have and not enough water.  For me,  I will keep this watch on, because as motivated as I already am, I cannot tell you the motivation it adds to my day.  It has made me accountable and take ownership of my daily activity. But far more than that, it makes me more aware of the way I am looking after my health. I have suggested this to a few of my clients, some have gone and taken the smart watch leap and are really happy with it, others have tossed it into the bottom drawer and won’t look back.

A friend told me that her smart watch just makes her feel guilty and she just does not want more technology to rule her life.  So this device is definitely for some.  What you should do is try it before you invest in it as it is really an expensive hobby if you are to take it up.  My suggestion is you should borrow a friends’, that is of course if you can get it off the true believer for even just a day. 

What I can say is: it is my motivator and I love competing on any level so even counting how much sleep I had to what my resting heart rate is, I have a constant reminder to be better at being better.

I will continue to fly the flag of smart watches high. A small word of caution though: don’t let it own you. Rather enjoy the fact that there is something to help stay on track.  Enjoy the competition, because if it’s healthy competition, it can only be beneficial to you.

Happy Xercising!