Every half hour or so my watch insists that I stand up — as if I were the laziest person ever. It’s a subtle yet persistent urging that conveys a sense of failure if I don’t comply. The problem I see, however, isn’t the command itself: it’s the implicit accusation behind it: you’re not doing enough. Are we supposed to adjust our routines to these aspiring digital overlords or should those devices start suiting us better?
Maybe I am the only one to blame for being guilt-tripped into activity by my wrist (sort of). Am I really supposed to rearrange my day around this little piece of tech? Watches, phones (or even those fancy Samsung fridges) are sold as tools for better living. They promise a smarter, more organized propulsion to our lives but is this really offering a way towards a better version of ourselves or just turning us into obedient minions of a sentient algorithm?
Hasn’t anyone considered that maybe people like sitting for a while?
The core question here is whether we should adapt to these machines or if they should adapt to us. The middle ground is not as clear as one might think. If there is yielding to every notification, there is slavery to the device — days shaped not by need but by algorithms optimized for unknown metrics. If there is a complete resistance, we run the risk of missing out on the potential benefits.
The middle ground, I suppose, is selective adaptation. Devices should only complement one’s routine and not dictate it. A smartwatch can suggest, as it does, but shouldn’t demand. There’s room for negotiation between human intuition and cold, heartless logic. For instance, I can appreciate a gentle reminder to stretch after sitting for hours — but I don’t need my watch to scold me for not hitting a step goal when I’m deep in the middle of writing or enjoying the city view on my balcony.
What is truly absurd is how quick it is to internalize those prompts. Until I could set different activity goals on watchOS 11, I felt guilty for not “closing the rings” on a given day, as if the act of having a rest day somehow diminishes my worth. But perhaps this is just a broader cultural obsession with constant improvement, optimization and productivity.
Yes, maybe I’ll stand up the next time my watch tells me to. In the end, the trick is just balancing the tech with the human autonomy — an adaptable symbiosis rather than controlled routine.
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