Kev bought me a lovely new Google smart watch for Christmas to replace my slightly elderly but much loved Fitbit.
I was very excited because it does more things than my Fitbit - things like you can leave your phone at home and still be able to make calls, use Google Pay, read shopping list etc - perfect for someone with ADHD who sometimes goes to the shops with no purse or phone or shopping list and has to come home to get them.
Anyway, I tried to set it up on Christmas day, but it wouldn’t connect to my phone or Google account.
Kev told me to try again in a day or two when I had some more time and headspace to give to the task.
I tried again a couple of days later but it still wouldn’t play ball.
I thought I was just being a bit thick so asked for Kev’s help, but he struggled, too.
I got a little despondent at this point because Kev’s really good with tech and if he couldn’t set it up I assumed there must be a real problem.
He said, don’t worry - just choose another time when you have some space to sit on a helpline and get it fixed.
Technical helplines send shivers down my spine.
I know they are a great resource, but from past experience I know you can spend hours on them resolving issues, so I procrastinated like hell about contacting Google, occasionally picking up the watch and giving it a casual try just to see if the planets had aligned to make it talk to my phone.
It wouldn’t.
The watch sat in my kitchen next to the fruit bowl mocking me for 3 weeks.
I greeted it through narrowed eyes every day inwardly thinking, “You wait - I’m gonna get you”.
Recently, Kev was away on an overnight trip.
I watched a film in the evening, then walked into the kitchen to get a drink at about 9pm and spied the watch sitting smugly inert on the side.
My time had come.
“Right! Tonight, you are mine, you f***er!”
I seized it, sat on the sofa and contacted Google Watch help.
There were various issues that needed to be addressed, which made me feel a bit less stupid for not being able to set it up without help, but by midnight it still wasn’t working properly - it was spinning around doing an endless update.
By this point I was thoroughly hacked off.
It was still winning!
“If you don’t work by the morning, F***face, I’m going to cash you in and turn you into shoes!” I threatened and went to bed.
At 6 am I got up and checked to see what was happening.
It still wasn’t working.
Thankfully, a good sleep had topped up my “helpline battery”, and I calmly reconnected to an advisor.
There were a few more things to correct, but by 7:30 I had officially beaten F***face the Watch!
She had submitted to my relentless helplining and was cooperating with my phone beautifully.
I’d really shown her!
That morning, I walked my dog with F***face on my wrist, and I felt like a fearless tribe member who had single handedly slayed a huge bison and was dragging it back to the village for all to feast on.
Why was this so important to me?
Because I have a goal to not be the sort of person who is hopeless with basic tech.
I don’t care that I’m not a whizz, but I do care that I can set up simple tech devices for myself as I get older and don’t rely on my grandchildren to operate the TV remote for me.
I feel learning to use new tech will keep my brain active through the years and help prevent dementia (learning new things like languages and musical instruments in later years has been proven to help keep the brain healthy because it encourages the growth of new links in the brain).
So, it feels like a huge win and I’m a happy bunny.
How do you see yourself in the future? What kinds of things do you need to do or not give up on in order to be that person?
Working with a coach can help you discover the best way forward and, luckily for you, you know a great coach who can also slay demon watches!