Unplugging Survey: Most Take Periodic Breaks from Technology

Today is a National Day of Unplugging. Americans have been consistently increasing the amount they rely on different types of technology. And many now find themselves constantly connected. But taking a break from all that technology can be beneficial for a variety of reasons. So how many take regular breaks from all their technology?

Internet Use

In Ask Your Target Market’s latest survey, just 3% of respondents said they spend an hour or less online each day. 32% said they spend about two to four hours online daily. 30% spend about five to seven hours online per day. 16% spend eight to ten hours online every day. And 20% said they spend more than ten hours online on a daily basis.And thanks to mobile devices, there are lots of places and activities where people can now stay connected where that once wasn’t possible. 52% of respondents said they use the internet when they go on vacation. 21% have used the internet while out to dinner. 20% connect to the internet while at parties. 16% have done so while hosting guests. And 14% have gone online while at the movies.

Unplugging

All of that constant connection can really make unplugging every once in awhile necessary. However, just 21% of respondents said they regularly unplug from all of their connected devices for a set period of time. 33% said they unplug on occasion. 12% said they sometimes unplug from some of their connected devices, but usually not all of them at once. And 35% said they never purposely unplug from their devices for a set period of time.

User Opinions

In general, 71% think it’s possible for people to use the internet and their mobile devices too often, and 75% of respondents think it can be beneficial for people to unplug from their devices periodically. But unplugging for more than a day or two can certainly be a challenge for some people. Just 47% said they would be able to completely unplug for a week-long vacation.You can view the complete survey results in the widget below and be sure to click “Open Full Report” to take advantage of all the chart and filter options.Photo Credit: Trading stocks on a computer from FlickrWhat do you want to know? If you need some consumer insights on a particular topic, let us know in the comments below and we’ll consider it for an upcoming survey post.

Results were collected on March 5 via AYTM’s online survey panel.