How to detox from your tech when you need to stay connected

Let’s be honest, most of us spend a lot of time staring at a screen – big or small. Around half of us use Instagram and Facebook every day and we check our mobile phones for social media updates around 14 times each day*.

Being  connected is definitely a good thing -  we know what our best buddies or closest rellies are doing on a daily basis, even if they live half way across the world. And we don’t have to be stuck in an artificially lit, air-conditioned room to get our work done. But it also has its downsides. Those email checks can become a bit compulsive, and is it really the best use of summer time to bury our heads in the Instagram account of Rihanna’s chef?

Summer is a great time to head outside and take a break from our social and work lives (and other people’s!). So how can you do that if you – for work or family reasons - really can’t afford to banish the smart phone? One way is to ‘staytox’. Here’s how.

Do not disturb
Setting your device to do not disturb means only certain elected numbers will be able to get through to you. There’s also a setting you can use which allows repeat calls to get through – so you know you’ll only be contacted if it’s urgent.

Set times
Allocate certain times of the day to check emails or social media, and stick to them!

Turn off notifications
By turning off notifications, you can still use your phone to take snaps, but you won’t be tempted to open apps throughout the day.

Use tech to control your tech
If you can bring yourself to put down the smartphone, and you have the budget for it, try using a smart watch. You’ll see messages and calls as they come through and can either answer or dismiss them from your wrist. The smaller screen might also make you less tempted to scroll through news feeds.

Delete or hide apps
Deleting apps from your home screen is one way to remove the temptation to be on emails and social media all day long. You can easily reinstall them once you head back to work. If that’s too extreme, try rearranging your home screens. Move the apps you’d like a break from onto your last screen, and keep things like your camera and utilities on your first screen so you can still use them.

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*According to Facebook via Stuff.co.nz