Control Over Tech: Another Antidote to Stress
Ned Johnson and Bill Stixrud, experts in parental guidance and stress reduction, often discuss the importance of control in managing stress. Their books, The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives and What Do You Say?: How to Talk with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home, are excellent resources.
Ask yourself: Do you control your devices, or do they control you?
Consider the following:
– Do you answer your phone every time it rings?
– Do notifications constantly distract you?
– Do incoming emails prevent you from completing tasks?
– How often do you search for lost documents or information in emails?
– Do you manage passwords efficiently to avoid getting locked out?
Customizing Your Devices for Your Needs
It’s possible to tailor your device settings to serve you, not the other way around.
Here’s how:
– Enable only essential notifications.
– Manage your emails with intent—delete, archive, reply, or defer.
– Learn to search your archived correspondence effectively.
– Organize your documents in searchable cloud folders for easy access.
I’m excited to announce a new virtual membership starting soon, where members will learn to customize and TAKE CONTROL of their devices. There will be live and recorded presentations, step-by-step guidance, office hours for Q & A, guest experts, and a collection of webinar recordings for your viewing pleasure. Each month, we will tackle one or two tech challenges together.