We all know that technology can be addicting. We get drawn in by the allure of new gadgets, apps, and games. Before we know it, our lives are consumed by technology. This isn't a good thing; we must take steps to prevent technology from taking over our lives. This blog post will discuss some ways that you can do this.

Are you spending too much screen time?

Technology is already a part of our daily lives. Many of our daily tasks now integrate technology to accomplish them, and it is almost impossible to cut them off from our lives. Even our leisure time can involve using gadgets like cell phones to amuse ourselves, such as watching videos, playing games, and browsing websites and social media. Considering technology's influence in today's world, it is up to us how much we should let in our lives. It can be easy to get hooked and let technology overtake our lives, and this may have negative effects later, such as mental health problems or compromising productivity. The good news is that we can pretty much dictate how technology can influence our lives, and there are some ways we can stop technology from completely taking over.

1. Control how much time you spend using technology

Much like how, as a parent, we can discipline our children by minimizing their time using gadgets like cell phones, a computer, or video game consoles for their good, we can also do the same to ourselves as adults. It is easy to get lost in technology activities, so the first step to controlling it is to be mindful of how much time we spend doing such things. You may want to manage your time doing these activities because you may realize other important things you need to do. But, unfortunately, important matters are affected by the time you spend using technology, which can become a distraction. So, when you know there are other essential things to do, and your time is getting wasted on stuff like mindlessly scrolling through social media, it's time you set a limit on how long you should spend on each activity that involves the use of a technological device. Then, determine the essential things you need to do using technology if you have to use them and control yourself from exceeding the time limit you set. It takes a good amount of discipline and self-control to do such things, mainly if you get used to too much time using technology, but it can be done. First, you have to realize that your world won't only revolve around technology; there are other things you can and need to do that don't involve it.

2. Identify why you need to do such things involving technology

We can end up mindlessly using technology and realize a lot of our time gets wasted over perhaps nothing. Technology can be very addicting, and our use of technology can be habit-forming to the point that we don't need to ask why we do them. As such, one way to control our use of technology is to know why we do it. We can't just answer because we do it if we want to discipline ourselves. There has to be a reason why we do them, and when we become aware of it, we can set the time needed when using a particular piece of technology to accomplish something. If the only reason you can identify from doing something using a bit of technology is to pass the time, it might be good to review how you can better use your time doing something instead. For example, it is good if your purpose for using technology is work-related or to make you more productive and finish your tasks easier. On the other hand, if you are deriving joy from doing particular activities, such as playing video games, streaming shows from your online subscriptions like Netflix, or chatting with people on social media, that is fine too as long as we don't spend so much time being glued to screens.

3. If something can be done without the use of technology, do it

It can be pretty challenging to remove the use of technology in daily tasks, considering how integrated it is already in our lives. Many jobs already use technology to accomplish tasks or require some use of it to make things more efficient. However, there are still some things we can do the old-fashioned way, and if we can have the opportunity to do them, we should try. For example, books still exist despite equivalents in digital and online forms you can read using devices like tablets. So if you are a book lover and have access to both the physical and online forms of a book, which will you choose? You can opt to read a classic book and experience the unique feeling of holding a book and flipping pages, which you can't do with an e-book. The idea is that if you can enjoy or do something without having to use a cell phone or computer, and you are not pressured for time, try doing it as it may feel more pleasurable, and there's less eye strain since you don't have to stare at a screen.

4. Have other forms of healthy activities you can enjoy

A significant reason why many of us use technology is because of the entertainment factor it can bring. We can do many things now to have fun using technological devices and the Internet. It is not necessarily harmful to enjoy such activities. Still, we may spend too much time on them that we forget to do other things that can be beneficial for us, such as more physically demanding activities like sports or going out to travel. While one of our hobbies or passions may involve the use of technology heavily, it can be an excellent idea to have other activities we can enjoy without relying on gadgets. We can be more well-rounded this way and give our eyes time to rest and get our bodies moving.

5. Do a digital detox

Too much technology use can be overwhelming and tiring, especially if your work involves staring at a computer screen for several hours. If your free time for relaxation and leisure also involves staring at a screen, you might tire yourself out. It can be an excellent idea to take a break from technology once in a while and focus on other things you can do without it. Also, you may want to review how much time you have and what applications you regularly use so you can perhaps declutter and remove unnecessary games or social media apps that only eat your time. If you can't find many reasons why you are using a specific technology or interacting with an app, it might be better to minimize or remove their use from your daily schedule. For example, you can set a time to check notifications and use your gadget. When an app is destroying much of your time and is only doing more harm than good, such as getting stressed from seeing others' posts and reactions online, perhaps you can do away with it and uninstall it. As we have mentioned, determining why you use technology can help you identify which gadgets you need and what apps to utilize that can benefit you and leave out anything that may only be extraneous or isn't benefitting you.

Technology does not have to control us.

The use of technology can be such a time-eater that it can take over our lives. However, it doesn't have to be this way. On the contrary, the creation of technological advances is meant to make our lives easier and more efficient if we properly utilize them. It can be tempting to be completely reliant on technology and use way more of our time while utilizing them. We must become aware of how we use technology in our lives and the possible adverse effects that can happen if we overuse it. Just as with anything, moderation is the key.