Multi-tasking is both a blessing and a curse. We’re able to get more done in a shorter amount of time now than ever before – but now information and connectivity invade every moment of our lives, not to mention the arsenal of gadgets we use to manage it all. Many of us fall into the trap of believing that every message is urgent and must be answered immediately. Tame is a concept that could help you calm the tide of information when you need it, giving you a much-needed break to relax, work, or even just drive your car in peace.

This Zen-looking cube allows you to store a different auto-reply on each face. You customize all five messages from your computer, specifying just what you want to say to people who contact you. Then when you need some time away from communicating with people, you just flip the appropriate response to the top and enjoy knowing that you’ve bought yourself a few moments of peace. People can still contact you since the Tame doesn’t actually screen calls or messages – it just lets people know that you might not be answering them right away.

Tame syncs with all of your (de)vices: cell phone (voice and text), instant messengers, Facebook, and just about however else you stay connected with the world. Because it’s got no buttons to fiddle with, it’s simple to operate when driving or otherwise occupied, and it syncs via Bluetooth so there are no wires to fuss over. You can even leave the cube on your desk at work when you step out, and the red, yellow or green lights – along with the status message – will let colleagues know if they can try to reach you. With so many of us over-connected and feeling the stress these days, maybe a product like Tame is what we need to help us loosen the grip of technology.