Five ways to reduce gadget addiction

In addition to depriving one of sleep and disrupting the body clock, addiction to smartphones and gadgets can rob one of much-needed private family time. It’s important to detach and minimise dependance on technology once in a while. Anumeha Chaturvedi brings you some tips on reducing dependence on those hard-to-resist tablets and smartphones.

Deactivate Mobile Data

Deactivate the mobile internet data feature on your phone on leaving work, says Dhruv Desai, group HR head at Angel Broking. Post-work discussions take place through email and Whatsapp. Deactivating internet on tablets and phones can help detach from ongoing messages and mails, he says. Most smartphones also have an option of switching between personal and office mode, and such features can help reduce dependancy. Desai has configured the feature on his i phone 6.

Allocate ‘Me Time’

“It is important to be disciplined about allocating fixed time slots for other things. Inculcating the habit of switching off for some time is key,” says P Thiruvengadam, senior director, human capital at Deloitte. He cites the example of an IT major that expected all employees to switch off devices for two hours at work.

Find Diversions

Engaging in any other activity of interest like sports, travel or social work, or spending time with family on weekends can be good distractions, says Thiruvengadam. “It’s also important to find like-minded people for socialising, who are not addicted to technology,” he adds.

Avoid Work-Talk

Refraining from calling co-workers after regular working hours unless its an emergency can help stem bonding with them through technology. “Mostly, things can wait till the next morning,” says Desai.

Limit Use at Bed Time

Research has revealed that displays on most devices suppress melatonin, which disrupts body clocks. A separate study by online retailer Pixmania showed people with emails on their phones check messages 20 times a day, which adds two more hours to their working day. Limiting the use of devices at bed time, using the new priority inbox feature on Gmail can help one stay in control.