Time for Digital Detox

We Indians are really hard working, for our work is worship. But did you notice we are never ever unplugged? Electronic devices have literally are the nearest and dearest ones in our lives now. First thing in the morning we need our gadgets till we go off to sleep.

Spending too much time on the devices are making us captives. When comes to the vacation, priority is to relax and unplug. Rather the reality is the inner workaholic inside us is constantly worrying about all the loose ends tied, deadlines met, meetings attended, emails sent, and expectations clear.

In light of this mess, McAfee has conducted a study, “Digital Detox: Unwind, Relax and Unplug,” to better understand the behaviour and attitudes of consumers when on vacation, and how digital habits could be putting their personal information at risk. The survey found that despite the benefits experienced from unplugging, most individuals prefer to stay connected. More than half of the Indians on holiday (60%) indicated that they spend at least an hour a day using their connected devices to check email, text and post to social media while on vacation. Travel season can be a lot of fun for everyone, including cybercriminals who may try to exploit travellers who are in unfamiliar settings. When individuals put convenience over security, by using unsecured Wi-Fi access points, they leave themselves open to the possibility of having their personal information compromised. “Vacations can be an ideal opportunity to take a break from connected devices, but most Indians are struggling to do so,” says Venkat Krishnapur, VP of Engineering and Managing Director at McAfee.

“Our study reveals, almost three in four Indians rely on unsecured Wi-Fi during their vacations to connect with family, friends, work and social media, increasing their exposure to prying cybercriminals. To avoid being compromised, it becomes even more important for travellers to exercise caution and rely on technology to stay safe online across all devices.”

The wide availability of Wi-Fi networks can make it difficult to unplug and disconnect on vacation, but if consumers take that extra step and unplug they can experience a more secure trip. While many individuals did not intend to unplug while travelling, 83% Indians reported a much more enjoyable experience being unplugged.

Can’t Put the Device Down

More than half (52%) Indians could not last a day without checking their work or personal email. More than a quarter (29%) admitted to checking their email consistently throughout the day.

One in two Indians (51%) could not resist the urge to post to social media while vacationing.

More than half of the Indians (57%) have felt anxiety over being unplugged Laptops were the most common device left behind (72%), but only 40% would be willing to leave their smartphone behind. The most common reason individuals avoid unplugging was to be reachable by family and friends (86%).

Carefree Wi-Fi Usage

74% of participants primarily connected using publicly available Wi-Fi leaving them open to potential security risks.

Remarkably, 34% of travellers considered their personal information and data to be more secure while travelling than it is at home.

Work, Work, Work

41% of Indians claimed that they stayed connected to be reachable by work, but if work were not a factor 67% would prefer to stay unplugged.

65% of individuals in their 20s and 30s would prefer to completely unplug on vacation compared with almost half of individuals in their 40s (53%).

Mom and Dad Know Best

Most parents think devices should take a backseat on vacation with 65% planning to unplug compared with 57% of individuals without children. Parents were only slightly more successful at abstaining from tech with 80% declaring success compared with 74% of people without children.

68% of Indian parents allow their children to use connected devices while travelling. Parents tend to be more tech-savvy than their non-parental counterparts and are more likely to know if their Wi-Fi connection is safe and secure to use (75% vs. 64%).

Tips to Help Secure Your Personal Information and Devices

Browse securely when away from home. Ensure that you are connecting securely while travelling and avoid using public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks. If you absolutely must connect to a public Wi-Fi network, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) like McAfee Safe Connect.

A VPN will keep your information private and ensure that data goes straight from your device to where you are connecting. Update your devices. The first line of defence for your devices is you, so it’s important to take a few precautions to stay safe. Make sure your devices’ operating system and applications are kept updated. Using old versions of software could leave you open to potential security vulnerabilities.

Install cross-device security. After you’ve updated your devices with the latest software install comprehensive security. A solution like McAfee Total Protection can help your devices stay clear of viruses and other unwanted malware. Use a device locating app.

If you lose your connected device, especially on vacation, it can be difficult to recover. Location applications can help you find, lock and even erase your device’s data in the event of theft or loss.

TIPS TO DETOX

1. Make up your Mind

You are going on a vacation, for at least two weeks prior make up your mind. It will be easier to relax and go on a vacation fully prepared; also it will give you a peace of mind.

2. Pass the Information

Before leaving for vacation, it is necessary to tell your managers, staff, colleagues, clients, and so forth know that you’ll be off the grid and unavailable to work. So no one can disturb you during your holidays. Also, do activate you away from an email message. This will help you to relax.

3. Give Yourself a Break Pass

Those who are dreaded with work anxiety and imagining work pressure all in mind while hopping on the beach or simply on the shopping spree with the family.

You can give yourself ten minutes of break pass for checking the work emails to catch up what’s going on. You will be happy to know if you have worked out tip 1 and tip 2 already, no one bothers to disturb you. So relax, and ease your mind.

4. Give Time for re-entering work

Following your vacation and before returning to work, give yourself a small time to re-enter work mode. Pre-set this time to catch up with the work to have all the space and opportunities you have missed. No need to be anxious–you already know when and how it’ll all get done.