“…In order to make love they’ll have to plug you in…” – Rahsaan Roland Kirk

This truism is not far off from what can be a stupidly long period of continuously mediated interaction which we put ourselves through.   Recent Ofcom studies show that the average Briton spends half their waking hours using some sort of technology.  After weeks on end of staring at screens to finish our latest project, and with minimal communication with the ‘outside world‘ (that excludes the self check out at Sainsburys and conversations with the postman) –  we have these antidotes that may (or may not) help avoid the unpleasantries of becoming socially inept:

1. Unplug yourself for a minimum of one continuous hour.  This may involve going for a jog or walk, knitting if that is your thing, or perhaps having an extended and uninterrupted conversation.

2. Forget (purposefully leave your phone at the office when you go for lunch).  This is a great way to spend more time doing other things that may require you to think, focus, and strategise without distraction.

3. Share (the workload not the homemade cookies).  We work with designers, developers, marketers, technologist, but at the core of it, is the way in which we all think. Unplugging from routines and taking time to look at something from several angles may not only drive better results, but can be rewarding and rejuvenating too.

4. Posture. If you are the addictive type who must stay plugged in at all times for identity validation purposes, then at the very least make sure you listen to what mum said and sit with up straight.  Take a good look now at how your sitting now while reading this, it’s a pretty good indicator if this point applies to you.