We like to think technology makes our lives run more smoothly, but is that actually true?

Think about a typical day: It’s early in the morning and you’re finally awake after hitting the snooze alarm on your cell phone when a warning sounds: low battery, shutdown!

It’s already quarter to seven and you have to leave for work in half an hour, so you start that mobile phone charging and go to the clothes dryer to see if your clothes are done. After five minutes, you see that they’re thoroughly wrinkled, which means they’ll need a good pressing before you go.

As you pull out the iron, your microwave starts beeping, calling you for your morning tea. You reset the microwave for another half a minute so that you can have a nice, strong cup once you’re dressed, then it’s back to the iron.

Five minutes later, you return to the kitchen, pop two slices of bread in the toaster and take out the over-boiled tea from the microwave.

The toaster ‘trrrrings’ and you have your tea and toast while going through the files your boss gave
you yesterday.

A look at the clock says you are just 15 minutes away from that ‘late to the office’ mark, so you cram your dishes in to the dishwasher and grab your (partially) charged cell phone, not bothering to turn off the switch.

Laden with your laptop bag, you grab your car keys just as the dishwasher sounds, saying you need to turn it off. You hit the flashing button then rush to the office, cursing the traffic as you go.

But when you reach the office with seconds to spare, gasping for breath, you take your seat in your cubicle and open your laptop to revise for that big presentation that is due in ten minutes.

Just in time, of course, to see the laptop read – you guessed it – low battery, shutdown!

Amna Siddiqui, age 17