Survival Strategies for the Wired and Tired

Texting at the dinner table, tweeting from the delivery room, breaking up on Facebook– technology has turned life upside down and created completely new ways of living, working and interacting socially. After spending an average of 15.9 hours a day navigating through today’s digital jungle, many people are feeling wired and tired from all the time and energy spent plugged in.

Here are a few survival strategies for life in the new normal:

Get on board. While technology can be frustrating, it is definitely not the enemy. Many online tools and technologies can make things easier. For example, budgeting and managing finances is less time consuming and staying in touch with distant family and friends is much easier. Enlist the help of tech-savvy family, friends, co-workers or professionals to help answer questions and improve computer literacy. Be patient through the learning process and keep practicing.

Prioritize. It’s difficult to strike the right balance between constant connectivity and setting boundaries on accessibility, but if spending too much time online is taking away from time with family, focus at work, or socializing with friends in-person, perhaps it’s time to scale back and assess priorities. Building online relationships and networking is great, just not at the expense of your in-person relationships.

Set time limits. Information is abundant, and it’s easy to get lost for hours browsing online news, blogs, social networks and so forth. If searching for something specific, try to remain on task and avoid self-interruption or online distractions. Whether it’s 20 minutes or two hours, setting a time limit for searching and browsing online helps prevent information overload.

Create absorption time. The brain is designed to think, critically analyze, deduce and create. But incessant communication and constant connectivity puts many on chronic reaction mode. Remember to give the brain time to relax, process and absorb. If finding the time is difficult, create an appointment for yourself.

Turn off. Everyone needs time to relax and recharge. Try turning off all devices and becoming technologically unavailable for a little while. Play a game of golf, take a bath, read a good book, or enjoy any activity that puts the mind at peace and body at rest.