Welcome to post six in my seven-post blog to keep the middle-aged mind sharp, given all the conveniences and shortcuts tempting us to hit Pause on our own brains. One of them is the GPS. What started out as an Atlas and over decades evolved into the navigation system in our cars and smart phones, directions are no longer a challenge.

In the early 2000s, I used a map or an Atlas to navigate on road trips. For a few years after I started driving in 2004, I used printed directions as a safety net because the GPS I plugged into my car at the time was usually at risk of losing its satellite signal. Occasionally, it lost its mind as well if it had not been updated with the latest data.

By the end of 2010, GPS apps were mainstream in our lives. By tapping a few keys on our smart phones, we could map out the distance and directions from point A to point B no matter how far apart. We became willing to wake up early to get on the road once we knew how much distance we could cover each day.

Today, GPS apps can warn us of speed traps, stalled vehicles, and roadblocks. We can find restaurants and gas stations along our routes, timing our journeys down to the minute. Focused on getting to our destinations as fast as possible, we minimize surprises (good and bad) along the way. Do we also minimize how much we enjoy the journey?

Something to think about, but not the point of this post. The focal point here is not so much the convenience of the GPS but the reliance on it. Like copy and paste, autocomplete, and other features at our fingertips, the more I relied on GPS the less I thought for myself. Instead of memorizing any portion of the directions, I would turn on GPS and let it take me the whole way.

This year, I have started to change things up a bit. The first time I need to get to a new destination I use the GPS to get there. On the way there, though, I memorize the directions and try to navigate my way back without using the GPS. Based on the distance and my familiarity with the area, sometimes it works the whole way back and other times I’ve turned on the GPS.

The second time I go to a new destination, I turn on the GPS but keep the sound off. I try to drive at least half the distance on my own and turn up the sound if I need help. Treating the GPS like a safety net after the first time feels much better than depending on it each time. Since memory is a victim of an aging mind, I want to avoid waiting too long to try and keep it sharp.

These days, I try to meet myself at least halfway in each direction. So far, it’s working.

Disclaimer: This content is neither advice nor instruction. Medical or otherwise.