Is Optimization Culture a Kill Joy? Do we really need to track every health metric?
Wellness is trendy right now, and while I love seeing people take their health into their own hands, I wonder if we’re actually handing it over to something else.
Our smart watches, tracking rings, and apps tell us if we’ve moved enough, slept enough, burned enough calories, or eaten enough protein. We track our cycles, our heart rates, our steps, our sleep… but what about the health metrics you can’t track?
How often did you belly laugh this week?
How often did you cook and eat with people you love?
Did you move your body in a way that actually felt good?
We have technology to track our menstrual cycles, yet many women still have to reach for their phones to tell you what day they’re on. We’re outsourcing our data without necessarily tuning into our bodies.
And listen, I’m not knocking the usefulness of tracking. In a country where so many people are struggling with inactivity and weight, tools like calorie tracking and heart-rate monitoring can absolutely be helpful. But does the average person really need to analyze every metric?
Maybe we can simply recognize that we need to move more and then go do something we actually enjoy. It doesn’t have to be the latest wellness trend.
When we wake up feeling rested, but our watch tells us it wasn’t quality sleep, is that actually helpful? Is turning down a late night hang with a close friends really the best choice? Do you want a good sleep score or do you want your emotional bucket, your connection and friendship bucket to be filled?
I’m not sure the companies that sell us all of this tech have our best interest at heart. Perhaps they do but what I think is that they want us to keep buying their newest tech. We are also giving these companies personal health information including our frequented walking and exercise patterns and GPS locations, the device is tracking your health metrics and the company can now track you. This is all food for thought. I wore a smart watch for years and I still will put it on when I go for a run to see improvements (or regressions). But I no longer let my watch boss me around or shame me for not getting the steps I need.
In a world that is linking us to technology, let’s connect with ourselves and others over the tracking devices. Eat the piece of cake. Go for a late-night hang. It’s okay if your sleep score is off for a night or two. Enjoying life is more important than tracking it.
One last thought, what if we participate in things that give real-time feedback from our own bodies: massage and yoga. ( I know, I know, I’m obsessed, but for a good reason!)
When you receive a massage or practice asana, your body is constantly communicating: this is tight, this feels good, this needs attention. Your brain gets to process that information. Your mind and body get to connect. Not the brain-to-tech connection that many of us don’t need more of.
Maybe the question isn’t what else can we track?
Maybe it’s how can we tune back in, connect to our bodies, and connect to each other?
With love,
Renee
Sacred Circle Wellness
