How do you make a practice of managing communication technology so that it doesn't manage you?

I have been struggling with this and don’t have answers; my self-discipline has gone to pot. GQ!

When I start dreaming about it- time for a break. Or when I notice my husband repeating my name several times to get my attention I often have to take a hiatus. Painting and enjoying time wtih the hub brings me back to the real world.

I close my (one) cell phone at nights, as to not be bothered by it.
The next day i will see if someone called me the previous evening, which isn’t very often since i don’t get much calls in the first place, but nevertheless i close it.
My second cell is open 24 hrs (if its battery isn’t empty, it’s an oldie) mainly because that is the phone i use to call and get called to/by my girlfriend.
Others know the number as well, but they will call me usually on cell nr 1.
If there is a emergency, i assume they will give nr 2 a try.
Email i check whenever i feel like or think of it.

Normally (meaning when my husband is not deployed), we don’t spend much time on our computers. We’ll check our e-mail once a day and spend the rest of the time as a family. Occasionally we’ll get on our computers to play games together (we play NeverWinter Nights together). Right now, since the computer is pretty much the only way we talk, I feel like I’m glued to it most of the time waiting for him to get on and like I am constantly checking my e-mail to look for something from him. I can’t wait until he is home and I can get away from my laptop.

By establishing genuine human relationships. Tète-a-tète (face to face) time, which makes one want to ‘see’ and ‘be’ with the the other person and not just settle for a text, an email or a call.

I have caller I.D. and don’t answer if I don’t recognize the caller esperially if the number is blocked and have two filters on my email and erase all junk mail without reading as soon as it appears.

I practiced this morning. Decided I wasn’t going to visit any of my “time-sucks” until my lecture notes were done. Aside from a quick peek at e-mail, I succeeded! I think I’m going to try a “goals and rewards” system for the rest of the summer.

I’m with @janbb on this one.

The first answer, not that one. ^

@ChazMaz haha. Well done @janbb. Apparently office workers spend collectively at least an hour a day taking sneaky peeks at twitter, facebook, personal emails, etc. I’d like to have more willpower over how often I check these things, but I really enjoy them.