To feel overwhelmed & stressed by technology

[hildaogden99]

I'm mid fifties and until fairly recently considered myself reasonably tech savvy. I've worked in offices for most of my adult life and lived through the transition from typewriters & memos to computers & emails. I have coped with online banking, shopping & booking stuff online no problem for years. However, recently (maybe since Covid?) it seems to have accelerated to a level I am finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with. You don't seem to be able to do anything without downloading an app or scanning a QR code or 37 step verification to do fucking anything. To make matters worse, the apps get constantly updated and frequently need updating to the latest version and the way of doing things seems to change constantly. My phone is only a couple of years old and I really don't want to change it but I may have no choice as it's struggling, especially with blasted QR codes for some reason, returning a parcel fills me with dread! The last straw is being told I need to download yet another app on my phone just to use the office phone system, just as I was getting used to the last one!

The example that prompted this post was a medical appointment that was to take place over zoom. I don't use zoom very often but checked beforehand I could get into it OK and it seemed fine. However, when the call started they couldn't hear me and after much faffing it transpired I was using an out of date version. There was no time to rectify so the doctor (who clearly thought I was an idiot) had to phone me instead, not ideal.

Another example was being unable to figure out how to use the Smart tv while babysitting at a relatives house (it wanted me to register and download a QR code or something, god knows). These things leave me feeling so stupid and frustrated. I just want to watch the fucking TV!!!

I don't consider myself unintelligent but definitely don't pick things up as quickly as I used to, probably due to my age and perimenopause. My kids definitely roll their eyes when trying to help me.

God knows how people even older than me cope! I used to help my elderly neighbour with basic tech but it's beyond me now
so I send my kids!

Anyone else feeling like a luddite?

Same here - I'm a similar age and have always considered myself pretty tech savvy, but flipping heck, just lately I have been struggling!

And phones are not really phones anymore are they, I never ring or speak to anyne on mine, its more a mini portable PC used for internet access, QR codes, ordering stuff via apps etc etc!

Glad it's not just me. I also hate needing a password for everything and have them all written in a book as you can't even use memorable ones anymore as they require letters, numbers and special characters. We had an insurance claim recently and they insisted we use their app to check progress but it was crap, never updated, and they were impossible to speak to on the phone!

Tech baffles me these days and I feel so out the loop.
I actually feel depressed that I'm so bad at it all or the things seem to just pack up on me at the wrong time ( or simply don't work )

My kids definitely roll their eyes when trying to help me.

Remind them that you taught them to use a spoon!

I'm very sympathetic with the tech woes and that's with having worked in IT in the early 2000s. It's too much, too fast and I can't do it. Or won't do it, not sure which but it's overwhelming.

Well I'm 61 and really have no issues?

Apps are updated in the App Store "update all". Job done

MFA (multi factor authentication) is there so our systems (money, data etc) are safe. It's never 37 times is it. Maybe, once??

Collections and returns of parcels- no problems

QR codes- I have an iPhone and it just takes you to the relevant form/website

Gently OP, try to stop being so angry about it all and then if you're not sure, people won't mind helping you learn.

I’m 10 year younger than you and am fine with all the tech at the moment but then I am fairly into tech stuff anyway. What really annoys me though is badly written apps, errors on their side, something is down or for some unknown reason not working but it’s nothing to do with user error. We are so reliant now but to my mind so much tech is behind the curve or not working properly when you need it