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Dustin Umphress
Dustin Umphress

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Dustin Umphress: The Lost Art of Pondering

Introduction

I’ve spent the last decade in IT and medical billing infrastructure, and recently, I’ve been deep-diving into cloud architecture. In this field, we automate everything we can. But I’ve noticed a paradox: while our systems are getting faster, our ability to solve complex problems might be slowing down.

We live in a world of instant answers. While convenient, this shift is costing us the ability to ponder. It is time to look at why we stopped letting our thoughts marinate—and how we can bring back the balance between high-speed automation and deep human reflection.

The “Prompt It” Effect

The Information Age has evolved into the Automation Age. It has made us efficient, but it has also made us impatient.

The Shift

We rely less on our brains and more on chatbots and algorithms. We prefer a quick generation over a deep dive.

The Impact

Research suggests that a constant diet of instant answers lowers our resilience. When we can’t get the solution in two seconds, we struggle to figure it out ourselves.

As an engineer, I see this risk in troubleshooting—if the error log isn't instantly searchable, do we still know how to trace the root cause?

How to Reclaim Your Brain

AI and instant answers aren’t bad, but they shouldn’t be the only tools in your box. We need to balance speed with meditation.

  • Create “Thinking Time”

    Schedule time without screens. Whether I’m working on a Python script or an AWS migration, the best breakthroughs usually happen away from the keyboard.

  • Pause before you prompt

    Next time you have a problem, try to outline the solution yourself before asking AI.

The Result

By combining the speed of the cloud with the depth of the human mind, you become a strategic thinker rather than just an operator.

Conclusion

Navigating the modern tech landscape requires balance. We don’t need to reject the convenience of AI, but we must protect our ability to think deeply.

By merging the best of technology with the discipline of patience, we don't just find answers faster—we become stronger, more resilient problem solvers.

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