It seems you can’t go anywhere these days without seeing someone plugged into technology. Technology has started to infiltrate more and more areas of our lives. Whether it’s the computer or laptop, mobile phone or ipod we can’t seem to live a day without being plugged in. We are spending an ever increasing amount of time consumed with technology and the need to have instant access to information or people means that we are becoming more and more enslaved by it.

It’s amazing how difficult some people find unplugging can be, have you ever sat down for dinner only to have your dinner guest take a call or be in the middle of a gym class and hear the phone ring, then watching someone go over and answer the call. It’s not as though the call is that important that it couldn’t have waited an hour or so. The popularity of the Blackberry has created a whole new area of stress for executives due to the fact that they are now available twenty four hours a day, 7 days a week. In fact many of these Blackberry users have become so addicted to having instant access to emails and information that many can’t seem to separate their work time with personal time.

Certainly looking at this with a objective mind you will note how utterly ridiculous it would be to have technology control you rather than you control it. So if you are someone that is addicted to technology here are some simple ideas to challenge you to get control of your sanity and life back.

1. Unplug for a day. Pick a day and turn off all technology and this includes your phone. Let it go to voice mail. Spend this day with your family or friends and see how much more you enjoy the time by being fully there. By not having anything around you to distract you, your quality time with people you care about will be more rewarding and enjoyable.
2. Do one thing well. Chances are if you are addicted to technology you are more likely than not also multi-tasking. The problem with multi-tasking is that you are sharing your concentration and effort which reduces your effectiveness on doing anyone of them well. Have you ever tried driving and talking on the phone. You will have noticed that this greatly impairs your driving skills such that it is now an offence to drive while talking on the phone in many states. So the key to effectiveness is doing one thing at a time well rather than trying to juggle multiple tasks in a quest to multi-task.
3. Keep your work and personal life separate. Just because you have a the ability to eat as much chocolate as you want doesn’t mean that you should do it. The same goes for work and emails. Just because your device enables you to access your emails or work files anywhere, anytime doesn’t mean you take advantage of this everyday. Sometimes it is convenient to check for an email when there is an urgent deadline approaching but unless it’s a pressing deadline learn to use your after work hours as just that. Spend it with your family, have some alone time or doing something fun.