Whether we like it or not, every New Year brings fun (or not so fun) resolutions. altafiber would like to provide a more unique list of resolutions for the start of this year, focusing on our favorite thing…technology! As cheesy as it sounds, it is important to maintain a healthy relationship with technology.

Check out our five recommendations below to learn how to manage your existing technology, recycle your old technology, and easily complete your other New Year’s resolutions with technology.

1. Give your devices a "refresh"
   Clear your browsing history, including your web history, cookies, and cache. Cache is a component that stores data so future requests can be served faster. Clearing this will not only make your phone, tablet, or computer more efficient, but it also clears up more room for storage on these devices.
   
   Typically these clearing options can be found under “History” or “Settings” depending on which browsers you use, like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer. Find more instructions here.
   
   
2. Give your router a refresh, too
   Did you know you are supposed to restart and update your wireless router every few months? This ensures the firmware is up to date with security programs and any new features or improvements. It can also improve your Wi-Fi connection. Some routers have a built-in update process, but with others, you may need to access your router’s settings to manually start an update.
   
   
3. Set boundaries
   According to TechJury, most mobile phone users check their phones over 60 times every day. Although we typically encourage all things technology, we also encourage a step away from technology every so often. Whether it’s mindlessly scrolling on Facebook, checking your email after work hours, or falling into the YouTube tutorials trap—we could all probably spend a little less time behind a device.
   
   In fact, Americans’ average screen time per day is 5.4 hours! Luckily, there are settings and apps in place to help us set boundaries. On any device with iOS, you can set app and communication limits with “Screen Time”.  This feature shows your personal daily average time on your device, how many device “pickups” you had per day, and which apps you use the most. You can set time limits per app, as well as downtime. For example, when you reach that 60th minute on TikTok, a notification would pop up telling you to close the app for the day! Check out our TikTok tutorial on how to manage the Screen Time feature. Android devices also have a pre-downloaded app called “Digital Wellbeing” that performs similar tasks with screen limiting.
   
   
4. Recycle or donate old electronics
   The beginning of each year is the perfect time to get rid of unnecessary or old items in your home. While you donate old clothes and throw away expired products, consider clearing out some old electronics, too. Besides, do you really need that Motorola Razr from 2006?
   
   Many people don’t realize how much technology can be recycled or donated. Do your part in saving our planet by learning more about local guidelines and locations to properly dispose of your electronics in our previous blog.
   
   
5. Let technology help you
   Struggling to start or complete your resolutions? Turn to technology for help! If you have a Google or Amazon voice assistant device, ask for recommendations on unique or common resolutions. Or you can ask your Google or Alexa to give you an extra nudge each day by setting up daily reminders to complete a certain task, like reading 10 pages of a book or taking a 30 minute walk outside. Find devices with these capabilities, like the Echo Show 10, at your local altafiber store.
   
   There are also multiple apps and devices that can help with health and fitness goals, too. For example, read our recent blog on all the possibilities with virtual reality headsets, including exercise and creativity uses.

We hope these resolutions can help you easily maintain and enjoy your internet and smart devices, as technology continues to be a huge part in everyone's daily life. Let us know in the comments below if you complete these or if you have any other tech-related resolutions!