Editorial: Balance vital in digital age

Nearly two out of five Kiwis use at least three devices every week.

I'm 23 years old and it might surprise you that despite being born in Generation Y - the digital generation - I'm actually a bit of a technophobe.

It's not to the point where I still rock around with a Discman and pink 2007 flip-phone, but as far as my generation goes, I'm an anomaly.

I joined Instagram about five years after it was cool and while my university classmates seamlessly touch-typed their notes during lectures, I was furiously writing in my A4 ruled notebook.

I wait until my smartphone breaks before upgrading it and I will never trade in my collection of books for an e-reader.

I'm not saying I'm the only one in my generation to be semi-resistant to the digital age, but according to a recent report by global performance management company Nielsen Holdings, it seems I am part of a dying breed.

The report says nearly two out of five Kiwis use at least three devices every week, nine out of 10 use social media and more than half watch internet TV.

There are definitely benefits to being immersed in the new technological frontier - all the knowledge known to man is at our fingertips, we can easily keep in touch with people on the other side of the world and people are always easy to get hold of.

But with the benefits come disadvantages and while I would never discourage people from keeping up to speed with the latest digital developments, it is easy to fall into the trap of living behind a screen.

Before you know it, all your jokes are regurgitated from Facebook and you would rather spend two minutes Googling a solution to your problem than using your own general knowledge.

The reality is technology makes life easy, but it can also make us lazy, antisocial and dependent.

Maybe it's time we step back and take a leaf out of our grandparents' book so when we are their age we have stories to tell - not just a Facebook feed to share.