According to an article in Women’s Health magazine, the average woman is disrupted 68 (!) times during a typical 8-hour workday by e-mails, phone calls, instant messages, texts…. That’s one interruption every 7 minutes. If each one sidetracks us for 5 minutes, that’s 5.6 hours vaporized from every day.
No wonder we’re always playing catch up. Maybe all those fancy electronic devices and services that promised to simplify our lives are doing the opposite. In fact, maybe they’re pulling our families apart, too. Doesn’t it seem like everyone has their nose buried in their handhelds these days (instead of in each other’s business where it belongs!)?
Here’s a bold idea: Let’s put ourselves and maybe even the kids on an “e-fast.” Let’s cut down or swear off electronics for an evening, a day, or an entire weekend in order to see if it makes us feel less (or more) connected. Intrigued? Here’s how to start “e-dieting.”
Set a specific goal. Don’t just vow to vaguely cut back. Instead say, “I’m going to check e-mail only twice daily,” or “I’m going to have an Internet-free Saturday.” Start with small, reasonable goals. If you like the results, expand them.
Minimize temptation. Electronics are like ice cream; if they’re handy, you’ll indulge. So put the Blackberry in a drawer where you won’t see it blinking. Turn your home computer off so you won’t be tempted to use it whenever you have a few spare minutes. Switch your cell phone to silent so you control it rather than vice versa.
Find other ways to occupy yourself. As with food, we often reach for electronics out of habit or boredom. So instead of defaulting to TV or the Internet in the evening, take up something you always wanted to do. Maybe it’s a hobby or a class at the local community college.
Forgo the apps. These things are as addictive as chips. The more fancy applications you have on your phone, the more harnessed you’ll be to it. Okay, we understand downloading weather alerts and restaurant finders, but do women really need to be tracking their menstrual cycles on their iPhones (for $3.99, no less)?
Stick with traditional models. We have a friend whose washing machine quit. It was one of those fancy models with the electronic touch-screen. The repairman pronounced it dead and said: “It costs a fortune to replace these circuit boards; you’re better off with traditional dials.” Every time you buy something new, research whether the version with the electronic gizmos is really better.
Fast periodically to stay in shape. We’re not advising that you abandon electronics entirely and go back to rotary dialing. Rather we’re suggesting that whenever life seems to be spinning out of control, maybe the answer is to do things the old-fashioned way (even if it’s just for one day).
We suspect you’ll actually feel more energized and connected to the people you love by “unplugging” once in a while. Even then, allow yourself some indulgences…after all, giving up your Vocalpoint time would be like giving up chocolate (and we can’t imagine that!).
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