Technology is completely taking over our future. It’s progressing every day…there’s no denying it.

We’re loving it. It’s exciting, it’s new and the possibilities are endless. However, we know that not everyone shares our enthusiasm. Some might say it’s unnecessary, too much, and even scary. The reality is, you can control how the progression of technology affects you personally. Once you get over the hump of accepting its potential role in your life…that’s when the fun starts.

If you’re avoiding updating your gadgets and home technology because you don’t want it to interfere with your lifestyle, you’re thinking about it all wrong. Sure, there are the people that wait around for new toys so they can spend even more hours a day glued to a screen. But you’re not one of those people…are you? (If so…you might want to read our recent post on 2018 tech trends) At Symbio, our hope for the future of technology is for it to exist quietly in the background, taking care of things you shouldn’t have to. You should be able to utilize technology to the point that time spent actually monitoring it is minimal.

We want to give you a few tips and tricks that might be worth implementing in your home. Not for the sake of impressing your friends, (although you will) but for the sake of spending more time doing what you love with you who love. Take a look at the following features you might be missing out on…

Master Your Morning Routine: Waking up isn’t that hard. It’s the getting out of bed part that’s tricky. The problem is, once you get out of bed, there is a list of things to do and the first few are adjusting your home to the way you like it when you’re awake. Turn on the lights to adjust to the daytime. Open the blinds to get you moving. Adjust the thermostat because let’s face it, you can’t walk around with a blanket all day. Well, you guessed it…all of these are functions available to you in a smart home. If you have these set to adjust when your alarm goes off, not only is it added accountability to put your feet on the floor and get moving, but you have that much more time and brain space to start getting yourself ready for the day.

These features are beneficial on both ends of your day. When you come home from work or errands, let your home know what will make you comfortable before you even walk in the door. You can schedule exactly when you want the air to kick on, lights to come on, shades to be drawn…and if your schedule changes? No worries. It’s all controlled easily from one place – the palm of your hand.

Color-Coded Email Alerts: Do you feel like you’re in the future yet? This simple yet wildly impressive feature is a favorite across the board. When you’re spending time with loved ones, anywhere in your home, you don’t always have or even want to have access to your phone and computer. However, unplugging from work is a luxury that is not always available to us. Have an important project you’re waiting to hear back on? No problem. Depending on the system you’re using, you can actually link your smart light to your email in such a way that the sender(s) you select will affect either the color, intensity or pattern of your smart lights.

Time saved using these features might be minimal, but that’s not the only benefit. When you grow accustomed to your house working for you instead of it being the other way around, you put your mind at ease as you remove these seemingly minuscule tasks from your daily routine. You’re able to be more present, stress-free, and overall utilize your brain space for things that matter.