PC Magazine - USA (2019-06)

YOU DON’T HAVE

TO DISCONNECT

TO DE-STRESS

WHILE TRAVELING

If you want to leave your worries at

home, just make sure you’re packing

the right tech. BY JONATHAN ROUGEOT

M

ost people think that going on a digital detox while traveling means

completely cutting the cord by not bringing along a phone, a laptop,

or any other digital communication device. I don’t see it that way.

When I travel, I take a Marie Kondo approach to my tech: If it doesn’t bring me

joy, it stays at home. But sometimes I do take my gadgets along.

I travel a lot, sometimes jumping over to Europe for three nights just to take

advantage of a three-day weekend. Depending on the type of trip I’m taking, my

approach to how connected I’m willing to be can change. If it’s a quick trip, I’m

less likely to do a total digital detox, because I’m not checking out for that long,

and it’s usually over a weekend when I’m less likely to receive work

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want to have as little communication with the outside world as possible. It’s

best to decide what kind of experience you want to have before you leave, tailor

your tech to that plan, and stick to it.

But there are certain gadgets and apps that aren’t welcome on any trip—those

that have the potential to cause me anxiety get the boot. Conversely, those that

enhance my travel experience are the ones I want to bring.