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The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life by Daniel Sieberg

Have you ever felt that something hasn’t really happened until you post it on Facebook or Twitter? Does a flashing red light on your BlackBerry make your heart flutter? Do you know you shouldn’t be texting and driving—but still do it? If you said “yes” to any of these questions then you’re not alone; you’re among the millions of people who can relate to being overwhelmed by technology. Fear not—from leading technology reporter Daniel Sieberg comes the first self-help book to address America’s newest addiction: THE DIGITAL DIET: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life, a four-step, dietary-style approach to help you slim down on everything from gadgets to social networks to video games.

The Digital Diet is a 28-day plan that’s meant to reawaken our awareness of technology in our lives, provide tools and gadgets to improve life, and instill the right motivational/practical formula for managing it in the future. It can be tailored based on age, profession, hobbies, and a person’s particular electronic poison and includes a self-assessment, a detox phase, and a week-by-week guide to building time for technology back into your routine.

These are the 4 steps:

Step 1 - Think

Consider how technology has overwhelmed our society and the effect it’s had on your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Step 2 - Boot

Take stock of your digital intake using Sieberg’s Virtual Weight Index and step back from the device.

Step 3 - Connect

Focus on restoring the relationship that have been harmed by the technology in your life.

Step 4 - Vitalize

Learn how to live with technology – the healthy way, by optimizing your time spent e-mailing, texting, on Facebook and web surfing.

Step 3 - Re: Connect (Excerpt from The Digital Diet)

The Alarming Clock

Because cell phones are extremely accurate at keeping time, they are very reliable as alarm clocks. That, coupled with the ability to use a fun ringtone for a wake- up sound or choose a favorite song or download an alarm app, makes it even more attractive to use smart phones this way. The problem is this: we end up with our smart phones and cell phones right next to us in bed every night and every morning, the very place and time at which we’re meant to get some rest. That’s counterproductive. It’s a constant temptation. So while the device is charging its batteries, it’s preventing you from fully charging yours.

Take Action: From now on, plug your phone into an outlet in the kitchen. Buy a cheap alarm clock. You can get a decent one for under fifteen dollars. It will accomplish the same goal of rousing your sleepy head from bed, and you can rest knowing that during the evening hours you will not be inclined to surf the Web or check e- mail or send texts. (Plus you won’t come to hate your bed as yet another area invaded by technology.) It will also change the way you view your device— in other words, you won’t see it as this annoying person next to your bed screaming, “WAKE UP AND SPEAK TO ME RIGHT NOW!!!” That’s really what you’re doing by placing your phone there. You’re giving it permission to make you frazzled and furious. Once you reply to a single e- mail and then hear back, it’s all over: your e-day has started. (At the very least, if you must have your smart phone near your bed, then turn off the wireless and cellular signal so it’s being used purely as an alarm clock.)

To Skype or Not to Skype

We can agree that Skype and other webcam/phone services can be a fantastic part of staying in touch over long distances. But they come with a new set of problems. Including Skype in your Digital Diet is worthwhile, but it must be done with a series of caveats. Skype with video is not like talking on the phone. Yes, you can see the person, which means you might need to brush your hair or put on some clothes. But with a cell- phone call you can dial someone up and ask if you’re interrupting them. Don’t expect the same with Skype. People will readily ignore a request to chat on Skype if they don’t feel up to it or don’t want to “perform” in front of the camera. To a lesser degree, the same goes for instant messaging. Both technologies present a list of people who might be online. That doesn’t mean they’re ready and willing to talk to you. And the fact that Skype is also free means you might tend to linger rather than be efficient. Of course, have those moments of showcasing the grandchild, give a tour of the new apartment thanks to a wireless connection and a laptop, and enjoy the visual connection of seeing people’s facial reactions. All good things. But don’t let Skype invade your life too much, and ensure that you keep limits when necessary. Keep the connections meaningful and worthwhile.

For much more information about Daniel Sieberg and The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life visit . For your own copy, visit (print) and (Kindle)

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