Technology can be really fantastic for helping us to get things done, and for amplifying our efforts in accomplishing various goals. There are machines to help us do all kinds of tasks, often in an automated way. You can find a myriad of software that turn your computers, tablets and phones into tools that can help you be productive, learn new things, and stay on task. Unfortunately, sometimes technology will fail you, and it can be frustrating and even paralyzing when that happens. Following are some tips for helping you through those moments.
Don’t Panic
Whatever the tech issue, it’s almost always going to be more difficult to troubleshoot if you have gotten into a state of panic or rage. It’s understandable, especially when there are deadlines and other things that increase the urgency of your tasks. Trying to keep calm by counting to ten or taking deep breaths can help you focus better and not make more mistakes along the way. In most cases, you can be confident that whether you see it right away or not, there is a solution.
Double-check Your Work
The problem could be as simple as forgetting to check a box for an option, misspelling a word that might be a filename or a coding property, or you could even be working in a different file or program than what you thought. At this point, I like to get a cup of coffee or tea and just carefully read through code or go through the menu and panel options to make sure there’s nothing that I’ve missed.
Restart the System
Sometimes something goes wrong in the process. An essential thing got corrupted or a program or machine hiccuped while starting up. If it’s a physical tool or machine, just powering down and turning it on again might bring things back to functioning as normal. Other times, you might need to completely undo a system or design that you’ve created, and redo the project. Sounds annoying, but sometimes you end up doing better and faster the second time around.
Take a Break
There are times when your brain may not want to cooperate with a task, or just stays blind to something that might seem really obvious at a later moment. During those times, taking short breaks to walk, work on a different task, or even take a nap, could help you see the same problem with new focus.
Call for Help
Many platforms and technology products offer customer service. Look for a number on your product packaging or website. There may even be a live chat feature on the company website where you can get help almost instantly. If you are having trouble with technology as part of an assignment for school, then you also have options for help from your professor, your classmates, and from the information technology office on campus. Besides these options for help, don’t forget to Google your problem. The internet is full of smart and helpful people who may have been exactly where you are just a few projects ago. Stackoverflow is one of the online resources for finding answers (often with detailed explanations) for various tech questions. Look for other sites with active communities around the topic areas that you’re working in.