It seems like everywhere you look someone is on a smartphone or tablet — whether you are shopping at the store, walking the campus of a college, or just looking around the cubicles at your work. If you take part in this phenomenon you may be going crazy. So, take a look at these four ways to ditch the tech for a while and add some sanity to your life.

Spend Time Offline Looking for New Interests

Image via Flickr by vernieman

According to a Harris Interactive Inc. poll, the average person spends 13 hours on the Internet each week. That’s enough time to make anyone go crazy. So, you should plan time away from the computer and the Internet for your sanity. Sure, there are lots of things to do online, but unless you work on the computer, it’s pretty hard to justify 13 useful hours a week. That’s practically a part time job.

There are lots of things you can do to stay entertained without using technology. For instance, you can find a hobby (painting, woodwork, sewing, crafts, etc.) You can also just sit down to read a good book. These activities will help you stay sane in this fast-paced technology world.

Get Back into Nature with a Hike or Gardening

Another thing you can do to keep your sanity is spend time in nature. The Earth is a beautiful place, so it doesn’t make sense to waste all of your time glued to the screen of your computer or handheld device. Spending time in nature will remind you of what life was like before everyone had their tech devices attached at the hip. Plus, the fresh air will do you good. There are all sorts of things you can do outside, such as hiking, gardening, sports, and more.

Build Stronger and More Meaningful Relationships with Your Friends

Most people spend a good portion of their time on social media sites. According to Mashable, 56 percent of Americans have social media profiles and they spend 18 percent of their time online on social media. Facebook is a great way to stay connected with your friends, but it also harbors an environment of disconnect. You can be “friends” on Facebook with someone you knew from high school, but never actually seen them in real life. So, you can keep your sanity by scheduling a get-together with your friends and just spending more face-to-face time with the people you know. This will help you build more meaningful relationships.

Exercise Your Body, Not Just Your Mind

The Internet offers a wealth of information for you to learn — just take a look at getarealdegree.com. You can get a degree, do research, and learn about anything you want on the Internet. This is great for your mind, but not for your body because you have to sit and stay still to learn anything. Technology is a major contributor to the obesity problem in America. You can improve your sanity by staying healthy. This means you should schedule in exercise time instead of so much time on the computer.

These are just a few things you can do to save your sanity from all the tech. Do you have any other tips for people that want to spend less time indulged online?