Are you worried that your smart home dream may be turning into a nightmare? Do you have so many devices that you're unable to keep track of the ones that work correctly?
Here are a handful of ways to tell if your smart home is getting out of control and some simple cures.
1. You Hate Your Devices
Most people live in a world that is constantly connected, with an abundance of notifications, screens, and other various electronic distractions. By design, most smart homes are supposed to provide an oasis from the craziness of the outside world. So shouldn't smart home technology only increase your comfort?
Not always. In fact, if you've ever wanted to chuck your Amazon Echo out of a second-story window, then your smart home could be negatively impacting your emotional health.
Devices that function differently than expected may incite annoyance. If one or more of your smart home gadgets is giving you headaches, then it may be time to re-evaluate its role in your home automation setup.
We recommend that you periodically put every device on trial. Ask yourself, "Is this contributing to the enjoyment of my home?" If not, it may be time to give that device the boot.
2. One or More of Your Devices Is Broken
Do you have a smart plug in the kitchen that constantly loses Wi-Fi connection, or a smart garage door opener that doesn't always open when you need it to? This issue could be a sign that you're no longer in control.
Broken devices add frustration to a task that should be made easier by their presence. Trying to turn on a smart light switch that's not working isn't making your life any easier.
If you've been dreading the replacement of a wonky device because you're too busy, or because it's too expensive, then this is your wake-up call. Fix it, or get rid of it, and we promise you'll be much happier.
3. You Live With Annoying Automations
We all do it. We set up automations that we feel are going to make our life better. Then we forget about them. All is well for a few weeks until we get notifications we don't recognize.
Unfortunately, forgotten automations can have unintended side effects. Remember that New Year's resolution automation you set to get back in the gym? You know, the automation that turns on all the lights at 5 a.m., and blasts music at the maximum volume? That was great for the first few days of January, but you were up late last night, and you forgot how much you hated bagpipes.
It's tempting to live with an automation that isn't causing much harm, but when they pile up, you'll have a tangle of notifications pushing your anxiety to 11.
Take some time to wrangle unruly automations so you can enjoy your smart devices the way they were meant to be enjoyed.
4. You Tremble at the Thought of Outages
If the thought of waking up to a disconnected home fills you with more fear than a horror movie, then you're certainly in danger of being out of control of your smart home. Internet outages happen. So do power outages. Even the most robust tech giants are subject to the whims of the server gods and the power grid.
Lighting, thermostats, and appliances can fail at a moment's notice. While this situation may affect the enjoyment of your home, it may also create tension between spouses, children, and other family members.
If your smart home devices are so ubiquitous that you're unable to perform simple tasks in an emergency, then you have a problem on your hands. While we're not suggesting you remove everything, we do recommend that you have a backup plan for unexpected malfunctions.
5. You're Afraid to Upgrade Certain Devices
If you've been putting off upgrading an outdated device because you'd rather not deal with the hassle of trying to reconfigure the new gadget, then your smart home has ousted you from your position of power.
Worse is the fear of upgrading your tablet or phone because you're afraid to lose precious settings. If you have a specific device or app that's a pain to set up, then your fear is understandable.
But smart home technology improves quickly, and a few short years of product development may mean light years of performance improvement over your current setup.
We recommend taking a systematic approach to this problem. For new devices, buy gear that is as future-proof as possible, and replace devices individually rather than all at once.
For phone and tablet controllers, start by setting up only one or two smart apps. Keep your old phone or tablet charged-up and handy, so if something doesn't work on the new device you can troubleshoot. Once you're sure the migration is complete, then feel free to ditch the old device for the new model.
6. You Have Unused Devices That Work Just Fine
If you've got smart home products collecting dust because you can't think of ways to use them, then your smart home has gotten the upper hand. While we're sure everyone has a few extra smart plugs laying around, extraneous devices like switches, hubs, and smart speakers are proof that you're no longer queen or king of your castle.
We recommend donating these devices to a friend or family member who is interested in smart home automation, but might not have the budget or knowledge to get started. It's even better if you spend some time introducing these people to the comfort and convenience that a smart home can bring.
7. Your Devices Make Your Life More Complicated
Don't get us wrong, we love new smart home gear just as much as you do. We get excited when manufacturers introduce new tech to make our lives easier. It's a lot of fun to dream up new ways to improve our homes.
But if you're spending all of your time and money piecing together a Rube Goldberg machine of smart home devices to overcomplicate your daily routine, it may be time to hit the pause button.
The easiest way to step back is to stop purchasing devices that aren't solving a specific problem. Sure, it may be fun to install a set of smart blinds, but if you never use them, then who really benefits?
Take the Power Back in Your Smart Home
The relationship you have with your home is meant to improve the quality of your life.
Automation is an excellent way to accomplish this, and smart devices can mitigate the annoyance of mundane tasks. But there can be too much of a good thing. That's why it's important to remember, your smart home should be a place you feel comfortable. If you don't, then now is the time to do something and fix those problems.