How Are You Handling the Modern Demands of Life?
I got the idea for this blog post from an Amazon review. I was looking for Creatine Monohydrate Powder, and one reviewer wrote this: “You may still not be getting everything you need to stay healthy and energized enough to keep up with the modern demands of life.”
Oh, that made me think, so here we go.
Do we realize the demands that are placed on us every day? I know I don’t often think about that, but I wonder a lot and am a curious person, so give me an idea, and I’m all over it.
Let’s brush up on some common demands placed on us.
- Lifestyle – self-care and family obligations
- Work
- Technology – cell phones, computers, gaming systems, work devices
- Time Suckers – things you do to quell anxiety that don’t align with what you want
- Leisure
And any other thing you do that demands your time.
Becoming More Aware
We know when we’re off balance because we’re not happy.
Today, more than ever, our lives seem to be guided like sheep, constantly doing, looking at, or reacting to something or someone. I’ve seen families in restaurants living off-balance when the parents and children sit there, not speaking to one another, but all on a screen. It’s heartbreaking. I don’t like where this is going.
Some folks could argue that using their phones for education or entertainment is how they deal with modern life and that it’s beneficial. Sure, it is. But to live a full life in today’s world, full of technology (whose selling point is to make our lives easier), can easily take over the time we need to take care of ourselves, our family, or our responsibilities. Still, many disregard the extent to which technology today is eroding our humanity.
How can we balance the modern demands of life?
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First, stop allowing the outside world to dictate what you ought to be doing.
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The first cell phone I got was for talking only. I could not text. As technology evolved, I got my daughter a cellphone that could text. I saw her fingers going to town, blocking out the outside world, being immersed in the ability to send messages in seconds and get a reply just as quickly.
I professed I would never be a texter. It was too impersonal. Why not just call someone?
Fast forward a few years, and you can probably guess who’s texting all the time instead of calling? Yes, I had to eat the crow or whatever the expression is for having to admit when you’re wrong. I wasn’t wrong, I just changed my mind. It seemed easier to communicate through texting.
Now, there are times when I get a phone call when I’m in the middle of something (and forgot to turn off my ringer), and I get irritated. Why can’t they text?
Oh boy. I slid down the “cram too many things into one day” slide and got stuck in the ball pit, juggling all the balls (things I have to do) up in the air, and knew I had to find a way out.
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Second, take some quiet time for yourself and check in with how you feel.
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This is really needed today. And this isn’t just a notion the Oprah-loving crowd adopted during COVID-19 to chill and relax.
Our real, modern life is rushed. We’re constantly bombarded with dings and noise (external and internal) that want us to do something. For God’s sake, we carry a device with us all the time that lets us be contacted at any time! We need to safeguard our precious peace now and choose when to be accessible and when not to be. Yet, even if we choose to shut off our phones, other technology is waiting in the wings for our attention. There seems to be a constant pull on us to pay attention to the outside world.
I grew up in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s when life was a lot simpler for sure. Despite having only landlines to communicate, we were much more connected than we are now. We could hear ourselves think over the noise of the world.
Take back your power and choose yourself to pay attention to before the rest of the world starts pulling at your sweater.
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Third, walk away from the demands when they become too much.
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I’ve taken a back seat to social media in the last few months, and there are some days I do not go on it at all. My life feels calmer. I give myself a break from outside influences. That means no news, no TV sometimes, no news online, just focus on other things that matter more to me.
Anxiety and depression are getting worse with us. Most of us don’t have the tools or knowledge to handle the demands of modern life effectively (without negatively affecting us). That’s when we lose control of our emotions, lash out at people who don’t deserve it, wallow in self-pity, or blame others for our sadness or misfortunes.
Believe it or not, we can control our emotions. We can start by finding more balance in our lives, as my husband always says. It’s going to be different with everyone. Give yourself some grace and loosen life’s grip on you. Walk away from what doesn’t make you feel good.
To Sum Up
Today’s living is demanding of us: our time, our thoughts, and how we feel about ourselves are being tested. We owe it to ourselves to take a step back and take inventory of how much we are juggling in this new world. We can’t do it all. No one can. Find balance. You know what feels good and what does not. Don’t let guilt or obligation control your thoughts. Find your voice and listen to it. Once we do that, we’ll all be just fine.
To Taking Charge of Our Lives,
Francesca 
Written by a human for humans.
© 2026 FrancescaME | All rights reserved.
If not noted otherwise, photos taken by Francesca M.E.
NO AI TRAINING: Any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
*DISCLAIMER: FrancescaME is not a therapist or doctor, and any information shared is from personal experience, learning, and research.
If you’re suffering, please consult a mental health therapist for help. Just as our bodies need to see a doctor when we’re not well, our minds need care, too.
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