How women can use tech to juggle family, work and play

In November last year, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru launched the Socio-Economic Atlas of Kenya, revealing that up to one-third of Kenya’s 8.5 million households are headed by women.

If we’ve ever needed proof that today’s woman is more than a mother and a nurturer, then surely this must be it. But while we women celebrate the achievements made, thanks to the “struggle for liberation”, the multiplicity of roles we find ourselves having to slide into also pose a challenge.

Today, we are not only expected to cook, clean and take care of the children, but also win boardroom battles and have active social lives.

So what do we turn to, to enable us do this? The answer is increasingly becoming technology.

 Home appliances

Today’s woman can depend on technology to allow her to have more time for family, work and play. With the realisation that a mobile phone and laptop are not enough, multinationals are working overtime to provide technology that is of convenience to the woman.

From microwaves that can whip up yoghurt to washing machines that can be controlled remotely, electronic giants are providing innovations geared towards simplifying tasks in the home to give the woman more time to spend with her family.

Today’s woman holds a big chunk of her life in her phone — emails, family photos, grocery lists, calendars, event reminders and to-do lists. Latest technological developments in home appliances that are integrated with smartphones are specifically cut out for the modern woman.

A woman can now operate her washing machine from the comfort of her living room, meaning she can play with the children or catch up on emails while the machine does all the hard work. The only thing technology is yet to do is load the clothes — but with the way it is moving, we just might see this in the future.

Smart washing has simplified and made the laundry experience more pleasant, taking it from a tedious chore that would take more than an hour to a three-minute experience.

Technology has helped the modern woman get as many things as possible done in the shortest time, and in so doing, allowed her to do much more with her time.

And whether you’re a busy housewife or a corporate mom, there is technology designed with you in mind.

 Bonding time

Take the kitchen, for example, where microwave technology has evolved such that you can make everything from a snack to a main course or dessert in just a matter of minutes. Or smart fridge technology that uses wi-fi to counter-check online grocery lists, alerting a user when items such as milk are running low.

How about playing games with your children via smartphone? Technology has provided more diverse ways of enjoying family bonding time.

While some may argue that technology is raising a generation of lazy mothers, I choose to look at it differently: technology simplifies life.

It is upon us as women to take advantage of innovations for the benefit of our well-being. As the philosopher Jonathan Sacks puts it: “Technology gives us power, but it does not or cannot tell us how to use that power.”

Innovation in technology is there for us to take advantage of. Concepts like the ‘Home of the Future’, where all appliances are interconnected, are within sight and will revolutionise how women (and men) manage homes.

Technology is not meant to replace human interaction; it is designed to enhance and complement people’s relationships, while providing convenience and diversity in how these relationships are approached and nurtured.

So can women have it all? Perhaps not, but we can try to get it all by using the technology we have at our disposal.

The writer works at Samsung Electronics East Africa.

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