We all get frustrated when our computer runs slowly or when the printer breaks at work. That’s because we’re comparing it to how it normally operates, and normally it works just fine.
If you think about it, our computers, printers, and software work well the vast majority of the time. We don’t even notice them when everything is working as expected. It’s only when something slows us down that we pay attention.
Part of the frustration comes from the fact that we’re always in a hurry. Any interruption feels like an obstacle standing between us and what we want to accomplish.
But these interruptions are simply part of working with technology. Computers freeze. Networks go down. Printers jam. None of this is unusual.
Maybe we need a different comparison. Instead of comparing today’s slow computer to yesterday’s fast computer, compare it to not having a computer at all. Most of us can complete in minutes what once took hours. Looking at technology from that perspective doesn’t eliminate the frustration, but it can make the occasional disruption easier to accept.