We’ve all got that one friend. You know the type: full-time achiever, part-time model, perennial ‘project’ pursuer – and the kind of garden-fresh glow that has never felt the harsh caress of a Buzzfeed scroll down at 2 in the morning. He or she isn’t ‘on Facebook’, of course: for this more-than-human, FOMO is just a new machine for at-home babycinos. But that’s not really you, is it? The New Year has brought with it plenty of op-eds on the benefits of digital detoxing: a kind of juice diet for the digiholic generation, who reportedly checked their phone 200 times a day in 2014. But all this talk of switching off altogether has left us feeling a little…disconnected. Luckily, there are more realistic options on offer. Here’s our rundown of the best disruptive start-ups and gadgets designed to re-configure your online/offline balance. ‘Cos it’s a new year, and a new you – but yeah, you can leave that Fitbit in its box.

RESPECT YOUR OWN PRIVACY

Despite fears over Google’s record on data gathering – in which your search history becomes fodder for tailored advertising – sometimes it can seem that there’s no way out of its information fortress. One brave and/or foolhardy Parisian start-up hopes to change all that. Qwant, the alternative search engine for European Google-sceptics, promises to never track your online movements, but only your individual search queries instead. In a bonus time-saving twist, Qwant also displays posts from sites like Twitter directly in search results.

DON'T BE A JERK ON TWITTER

Ever wondered how your online self comes across to other people? Designed to stop you from being a bit of a jerk on your social media channels, ThinkUp is a year-old subscription-only service that analyses your activity on Facebook and Twitter. Daily updates might tell you how many times you posted, your friends’ most linked sites, and even whether you just talk about yourself way too much. Very @meta.

RECYCLE YOUR OLD TECH

The United Nations Environment Program has pronounced electronic waste the “fastest growing waste stream in the world.” If you’re planning on throwing out that Moto Razr (why? Those things were cool), be sure to do a little research to find a source that’ll won’t just recycle dud tech, but recycle it properly. Top tip: There might be a more profitable way to get rid of your old iPod Classic, with some models fetching the big bucks on Ebay.

GO TO SUMMER CAMP FOR GROWN-UPS

A kind of Moonrise Kingdom for advance-level hipsters, Camp Grounded is a Californian summer camp where adults disconnect in order to re-connect. That means no phones, no wi-fi and no office spiel. We reckon its only a matter of time before a similar model takes off in Europe – for now, though, broadband blackspots include areas of Kent and Sussex if you really want to go solo.

NEVER TIE YOUR OWN SHOELACES

Remember Marty McFly’s power laces in Back to the Future II? The lazy sneaker-heads dream is set to become a reality this year, thanks to Nike’s plans to release a pair of self-tying trainers. The release date is slated for October 21, 2015 – the same date that McFly travelled to in the movie.

LIVE IN THE MOMENT

The Moment app is the app for your phone designed to help you put down your damn phone. Tracking how much you use your iPhone or iPad each day, it allows you to set daily limits and lets you know, in no subtle terms, when you’re over the limit. Because saving yourself from yourself is the new saving face.

KEEP DRINKING, IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN

“Just one…lime and soda?” – the tentative request heard in many a drinking hole in this driest of “Dry Januarys”.  But for those of you who’ve always thought you’ve had your best ideas after a few pints, there’s a new tipple designed to help you reach your creative peak. Based on scientific research that shows an ideal alcohol level of 0.075% helps you think creatively, The Problem Solver is an Indian Pale Ale that allocates drinking levels according to weight and sex in order to hit that sweet spot.

GET YOUR WEED-ON-WHEELS, UBER STYLE

Getting your weed delivered on wheels could be closer to becoming a reality. Currently running in beta in Washington state – where recreational weed is totally legal – Canary is a cannabis delivery app which delivers marijuana from your favourite dispensary to your door within the hour. Though the service is currently only in place for medical marijuana, the future – in some states, at least – is looking pretty green.

MAKE LIKES AND COMMENTS DISAPPEAR

What does Facebook look like without numbers? Pretty chilled, actually. The Demetricator is an open source browser add-on that allows you to hide the site’s metrics altogether, removing all enumerated likes, comments and Candy Crush invites from your cousin – making your daily scroll more about quality than quantity.

IF YOU'RE DESPERATE, BUY A NOPHONE

Can’t get to sleep without the comforting feel of 112 grams of gleaming polycarbonate between your fingers? The NoPhone – “new and unimproved” – is a Kickstarter-funded project that provides a not-very-smart alternative to the need to have constant hand-to-phone contact. A smart phone surrogate with absolutely no functions at all, the NoPhone comes with a sweet mirrored upgrade for those selfie addicts among you.