Tech-Life Synergy: Crafting a Connected, Balanced Lifestyle

“Want to get more work done? Turn off all your notifications, log off of social media and quit binge watching tv.”

Sound familiar? I’m sure you’ve heard similar rhetoric when it comes to improving your efficiency and productivity. For some reason, technology is often used as an excuse for why people aren’t making enough meaningful accomplishments.

But instead of viewing it as a distraction, is it possible for entrepreneurs to harness technology as a tool for realizing their ambitions?

Well, if you take one look at what Carl Nassib has been able to accomplish, you’ll immediately realize the benefits technology can have on your personal and professional life.

Carl is a former American football outside linebacker who played in the NFL for seven seasons. This fall he announced his retirement so he could focus more on Rayze, a mobile platform that uses positive social media to simplify the way we give back.

I had a chance to catch up with Carl at Samsung’s flagship store here in NYC, Samsung 837. As an NFL fan, tech geek and father; I couldn’t have been more impressed with the experience.

Samsung: More Wow than Ever

The moment you walk into Samsung 837 you can help but get immersed in the interactive experience.

As a content creator, the first product that jumped out at me was the Sero. I make a lot of videos on my phone but it’s often challenging to identify opportunities for improvement or catch small mistakes since the screen is relatively small.

The Sero solves this problem by providing a large screen that rotates so you can watch your favorite content whether it’s in portrait or landscape. Also on display were the latest Samsung innovations spanning their Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K and even Samsung OLED – there are plenty of options to choose. Samsung calls their philosophy “screens for all”– there’s a little bit of something for everyone.

This is a perfect example of how Samsung fully commits to helping people leverage technology as an integral part of their life, not an interruption. That same theme is reflected in their “More Wow than Ever” campaign.

From the company’s website; “The Samsung ‘More Wow than Ever’ campaign will show how life can be easier, more enjoyable and productive when tech seamlessly works together within the home.”

The program will feature the ways Martha Stewart’s connected home enhances her every day. Samsung has also partnered with actress Rosario Dawson in support of her philanthropic efforts advancing STEAM education for girls.

Rayze: The new generation of philanthropy

Rayze combats the seemingly endless amount of negativity seen across our digital world by building a space with a strict positive vibes-only policy.

And as an entrepreneur, you may have experienced your fair share of negativity or lack of support.

During our chat I asked Carl who his biggest supporter was when he first launched.

“I know a lot of people that said, don’t do it. But I think that it was my mom. She works in philanthropy as well as the CEO of her foundation. And when I started talking about all the updates, she was like ‘Oh my God, you’re so on the right path’ So she was really helpful and collaborative. And it’s nice when you talk to somebody that’s in the industry.”

Fortunately, he took his mom’s advice and continued forging forward.

When asked about the impact he would like to see Rayze have on society, here’s what Carl had to say.

“There’s been a decrease in volunteers and a decrease in donors every year for the last 20 years. So, I want to see that trend totally reversed and that giving back it becomes social, it becomes trendy. It becomes, sometimes competitive like, ‘Who can raise the most money?’ ‘Who can have the most volunteering hours?’ I can see it manifest in so many beautiful ways, but the two big things are reversing those trends by increasing volunteerism and increasing donations.”

How and why Carl uses Samsung products

Carl’s partnership with Samsung came to be after a friend and former colleague made the connection, but he’s been a fan of Samsung for years.

He commented on the evolution of Samsung products and how they integrate into his daily life.

“TVs today are so much more than just a way to watch sports or your favorite movie. Since

retiring, I’ve been focusing a lot of my time on my non-profit, Rayze, and it’s more important

than ever for me to stay connected and at the top of my game. That’s where Samsung has

been the most instrumental – their products have really helped me bring my creativity to life

and fuel my passions off the field.”

Want to see Carl in action? While visiting Samsung I was able to watch him record a video to support the More Wow Than Ever campaign, Carl Nassib: A Day in the Life.

And as Carl explains, these products help boost productivity in both his personal and professional life.

“It’s so cool to be able to use my Samsung TV to hop on a call for Rayze, and then check the

ingredients in my fridge right on the screen to start prepping for dinner. It makes my life so

much easier, and helps me supercharge my routine.”

As an entrepreneur and father of four, that sounds pretty cool to me too.

This article was written by Terry Rice, and originally appeared on Entrepreneur.com.