By Lynne S. Dumas

Technology's been getting a bad rap these days, blamed for loading us up with so much information and placing so many demands on our time that it's pushed our stress meters into the red zone. But a recent FamilyPC online survey of its readers sheds a more positive light on the technology revolution.

Clearly, respondents appreciate the benefits technology affords them at home and at work. Still, they're aware that electronic devices can place more demands on their already busy lives. And when technology goes awry, it can raise stress levels significantly.

According to the online responses of 804 adults, more than half (55 percent) believe technology has improved their overall lives and allowed them to live fuller, more productive ones.

As for e-stress, only 18 percent believe they would have less stress in their lives if they weren't so plugged in; more than one-third of respondents (34 percent) disagree strongly with that notion. Similarly, only 17 percent feel they could devote more time to their families if they weren't so plugged in, while 34 percent feel that isn't true.

• Set Boundaries. To protect private time and family intimacy, unplug during meals and carve out no-technology times during evenings or weekends. Tell your colleagues you don't answer e-mail after 7 p.m. or on weekends.

• Make choices. Just because a new product comes on the market doesn't mean you have to use it. Think through whether you really need it: Does the stress of learning a new technology outweigh the benefits it might provide? Also remember that you can limit the impact of things you do use. You don't have to give your cell phone number or e-mail address to everyone.

• Use technology to control its impact. Leave a message on your answering machine that says, "From 6 to 8 every night is family time; we don't answer the phone or pick up messages." If your cell phone adds stress, leave a message on it saying, "I don't check messages on this phone, so don't leave one." Let people know your limits - and then stick to them.

• Balance your life. Just as parents need to ensure that their children don't spend too much time on the computer or in front of the television, set similar rules for yourself. Go out for a walk; make sure you get regular exercise; stay connected to nature. Play with the kids and the dog. Develop some hobbies that don't require plugging in. In other words, suggests Rosen, "get a life."

• Be reasonable about your expectations. Information overload is swamping everyone. "There's too much information out there; people never feel like they're done," says Larry Rosen, Ph.D., co-author of TechnoStress: Coping With Technology @Work @Home @Play (John Wiley & Sons, www.technostress.com). "Give yourself a certain amount of time to research something, and then let it go. You can't know it all. Nobody can."