Written by Patrick C. Kreitzer.
Via Unsplash by Alex Knight @agk42
It’s no secret that it’s difficult to ask for help. “We don’t want to be ashamed of our situation, or come across as incompetent,” said M. Nora Bouchard, the author of Mayday! Asking for Help in Times of Need, in an interview. “So, we work really hard to make sure people don’t see us this way.” You may feel like people have problems of their own too, implying that they have no time for yours. But that can’t be further from the truth. Bouchard asserts that a lot of people are more than happy to provide their assistance, and your situation can improve through talking to someone.
The good news is that asking for help is now easier due to technology. Here are some of the ways technology is helping us ask for help.
Ask help from a computer
If you’re shy about asking for help from another human being you can practice with an AI to get used to the feeling of relying on someone that isn’t you. Computer programs like Cortana, Bixby, and Siri are smart enough to lend you basic support, whether it’s responding to a “how-to” question or to provide you with common facts. Modern PCBs, like the ones found in smartphones, are built with high-density interconnected designs and conductive paths. This grants these gadgets the processing power and battery needed to support AIs, despite their small size. You can also download human-like chatbots like Mitsuku and Dr A.I. to further your practices.
Ask help anonymously
Now that you’ve gotten used to asking for help from an AI, it’s time to take the next step and ask for help from another person. But it isn’t easy to get rid of the incompetency that’s associated with asking, so your next step can be to call for support anonymously. For example, advice app Honest by Ryan Schefske lets people talk to strangers. The user posts a question anonymously — not even a username to separate them from other people — and other users are able to offer up answers. If you don’t mind usernames, then online forums and anonymous chatting apps like Psst are also great places to look into.
Offer help
If you’re still uncomfortable about asking for help because you’re afraid of being a bother, then you should try using technology to offer help to those who ask. This will allow you to experience the enormous benefits of asking for help. The above platforms (forums, Honest, etc.) are good places to start. You can also help people in your neighborhood. This is where Mayo comes in as a communication app that lets you ask and receive help from someone near your location instnatly. For example just moved in to the city and missing a bottle opener for the celebration? Your neighbor probably has that. Stuck at home and baked too much muffins? Many others in your apartment would probably love to help you finish it. It’s the every day things that a quick shoulder-tap can solve, but often the tapping doesn’t even happen now a days in this ever-increasingly-digital world.
Eventually, you’ll find that you’re not bothering anyone by asking for help. It’s their choice if they choose to assist anyway, and those who do are more than happy to help. Studies have found that altruism begins at the baby stage already.
Learning how to ask for help is a process and one that technology can help with. Start by learning how to lean on someone else. Help others to see what it’s like to be on the other side of the conversation. Asking for help will become easier over time.
And hey, did you know, that helping is the best way to start a conversation and building a meaningful relationship with others.
