If we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with, then I might be in big trouble. I spend WAY too much time with my phone, and even though it’s an inanimate object, I think it still counts.

I would much rather spend my time with (actual) people, out in nature or just enjoying life without a screen in front of me, yet my attention is constantly being sucked up by this communication device on a daily basis. I rely on it for my work, my side projects, my family schedule and, okay, sometimes for entertainment too. 🙂

Hence my desire to consider a digital detox.

In doing some research, I ran across an article which lays out seven steps to disconnecting yourself from your tech devices. I especially like Step 4 for families: Digital Free Dinners.

This is a common complaint I hear from families who have limited time together, and dinner is the only time to reconnect regularly. The author Gwyneth Jones give some excellent suggestions for negotiating with family members about how and where they keep their devices. If dinnertime is a ‘sacred’ time for your family, it’s important to figure out how to establish some healthy boundaries around that hour of the day.

Take a look at Gwyneth’s suggestions here and let me know what you think. If you have other ways to take a break from technology, please post your thoughts in the comments below.