TAKE A TECH BREAK. SERIOUSLY.

TAKING A BREAK from technology can be damn near impossible. I know I’ve certainly rolled my eyes when someone has talked about how leaving their phone at home changed their business or how they don’t respond to emails on weekends because they’re completely present with their adorable family. The idea of a silent retreat or even just a wedding where cell phones are banned makes me really anxious. I’m legitimately proud of myself for remembering to turn my phone to Do Not Disturb when I’m at an event.

The struggle is real. For someone whose work involves electronic contact with clients and lots of screen time working on things like writing, research, and social media, it can be hard to unplug. I was once invited to a wellness retreat that was geared toward “unplugging,” and yet in the contract was a list of required hashtags to use when posting to social media about my experience.

Ever heard the term “appsturbation?” Yep, it’s that thing where you’re in bed with your phone going to town checking apps. All those little micro-hits of the feel-good brain chemical dopamine feel pretty awesome in the moment, but before you know it, an hour has passed. Or three.

Of course, this doesn’t just happen in bed at night—we’re on our devices all day, every day. We’re also surrounded by screens, speakers, and other technology sending us signals and vying for our attention. Maybe you’ve experienced that phenomenon where you unlock your phone to look something up or jot something down, only to get sucked in to a notification from another app and then completely forget why you’d reached for your phone in the first place.

You used to be able to get a break and have an excuse to go MIA on an airplane, but thanks to in-flight Wi-Fi (which, let’s be real, has its perks when you’re on a writing deadline or want to stream a movie to pass the time), that’s no longer the case. Wi-Fi on public transportation is even a thing now.

Don’t get me wrong—technology serves a purpose. GPS in your car, for example, can be super helpful when traveling to somewhere unfamiliar. Social media can help us build our networks and stay connected to people who live and work far away. And, chances are, you probably know at least one couple who met online or via a dating app.

However, as I’m sure you’re well aware, excessive screen time can be harmful to our physical and mental health. Technology can distract us and make us feel like we’re being constantly interrupted, thanks to frequent notifications. Social media can also be a major trigger for stress and anxiety, especially if current events or “compare-itis” that flares up when you’re scrolling sets you off. This lack of focus and subtle sense of feeling less-than-awesome can trickle into other areas of your life and significantly disrupt your day and interactions with others. Not sure how much time you’re spending in front of a screen each day? There are actually apps that log every second so you can see exactly how much of your day you’re spending online and what you’re spending it on. The idea is to use those insights to come up with ways to change your habits.

Taking a little tech break as a regular part of your day or week can help you avoid that overloaded feeling.

Here are a few simple ways to take a temporary break from technology:

• Set aside time to put your phone in “Do Not Disturb” mode or at least turn the ringer off. When you’re sleeping or in a workout class or at a movie, those are some great times to unplug. But it’s also a great idea for situations where you want to be especially focused, such as a meeting, when you’re out with friends, or at an event where you don’t want to be distracted. Worried about missing something important? Most phones let you set “favorites,” whose messages will still get through to you.

• Set timers during your workday to remind yourself to get up from your computer and stretch, take a walk around the floor, or go do another non-tech task.

• Disable nonessential push notifications on your phone.

• Put your phone in a drawer while you’re working if you know you can’t not look at it.

• Set “office hours” for yourself (no matter where you work from) to set boundaries for checking and responding to emails and messages.

• When you’re out with friends or colleagues, unless you’re waiting for an important message, keep your phone off the table.

• Set yourself a “bedtime alarm” to remind yourself to power down for the day. Do not fall into the “one-last-thing” trap. The truth is that 99 percent of those last things can just as easily wait until tomorrow.

• Get a real alarm clock and keep your phone out of your bedroom. At the very least, keep it out of arm’s reach.

• Turn off the TV, music, podcast, and other sources of noise in your home or workspace for at least a few minutes each day to give yourself a chance to enjoy the silence. If you have a journaling or meditation practice, this would be a great time for that.

• Instead of scheduling a phone call, meet friends or colleagues for a walk to catch up or talk shop.

These are just a few of the many ways you can reduce your use of technology in your day. Being aware of where you struggle most will be a good starting place in figuring out which one to try.

Also, if you’re not sure you can do it, set a measurable limit. You could try making one of these changes for two weeks and track any changes. Or you could try a month of practicing that change a few days per week. Weekends, vacations, and other times you don’t need to be as worried about being on time or plugged in can be a great time to experiment as well.

For example, if the idea of trying a new wake-up system on a weekday freaks you out because you’re worried you’ll be late, start using that old-fashioned alarm clock on weekends or nonwork days and keep your phone out of the bedroom. You might find it easier to make it an everyday thing if you give yourself time and space to test it out.