The text below is a reproduction of an article taken from “Getting Smart” and written by Dave Guymon. Dave Guymon is an online public middle school teacher, author, and host of the daily 5-minute professional development podcast, Take 5. He resides in Idaho Falls, Idaho and Tweets at @DaveGuymon.
I’d like to know what Apple did to make it so difficult for me to put my iPhone down. You might feel the same way about your smartphone, tablet or laptop as well. Whether it’s you, your spouse, or your children that seem constantly connected to a device, it’s essential to strike a tech-life balance for not only our own personal wellness but the relationships that matter to us most. Though it sounds nice, finding a balance is easier said than done. Trust me! However, there are specific ways to get our lives back without getting rid of our devices. The following four habits will show you how.
1. Set a Personal/Family Use Policy – Just as in the classroom, expectations are a must for each of us to cooperate and succeed together. Discussing such expectations and rules doesn’t have to be a one person job either. In fact, including our spouse and children in on the process of setting a family use policy will not only result in a more sensible and practical agreement, it will also give every family member a sense of ownership which strengthens accountability to the policy. Ideas to consider for your family’s use policy might include powering off all devices at meal times; ignoring cell-phone alerts in the car; or creating a secure file with all passwords for each family members’ devices and online accounts so that mom and dad can ensure their children’s’ safety.
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