Isn’t technology amazing?
Scarcely 30 years ago, one computer filled an entire room. Less than 20 years ago, a cellphone was practically the size of a cinder block and weighed about as much to match! These days, small, portable, fast and accessible communications technology is all around us, and has enabled us to connect with others on a constant basis in ways we would never thought possible less than a generation ago.
We can video conference call the other side of the planet for a business meeting without leaving our homes, dial into our office email at 2am, and call anywhere in the World from anywhere in the World without the need for wires or terminals.
These changes have happened so quickly, that our work methods and etiquette haven’t had the chance to ‘catch up’ with the pace of change. In this age of constantly streaming information, the sheer volume of data could keep our attention literally 24/7/365. If we allowed it, it would consume our focus without any time for sleep, food or ‘down-time’. But the human mind isn’t built to deal with that, and we would simply burn out in a surprisingly short space of time.
The only way to deal with this is to turn it off…
The computer, the smartphone, the tablet – all of it. Ignore the alerts, silence the ringtones – just hit the off button! Technology is there to serve us, not the other way around. You are in control, and you must set the boundaries.
Firstly, decide what constitutes your working day. Then stick to it. It sounds simple, but given how few of us do it, it’s clearly harder than we think! Once your agreed workday is over, then switch off anything that is there for the workday. It’s OK to use your computer for personal things, but close down your work email and any business documents.
Switch off your company phone. Mentally close the day off, and move on to your down-time – new activities, new thoughts, and leave the work stuff to one side until the workday starts again. When you’ve put it to one side, leave it there!
No checking the PDA during family time. No answering work emails when you’re on the phone to your mom. The same goes for during work hours, too. When you’re engaged in one thing, learn to leave the technology alone! Focus on the meeting, not your Blackberry. If you’re checking your phone all the time, then you’re not giving the meeting your full attention, and you’re showing disrespect to your colleagues who are. Your boss will certainly notice, and this could become a career-limiting faux-pas.
The simple fact is that switching ‘modes’ is good for you. The old adage holds true that ‘a change is as good as a rest’. You’ll enjoy your evening meal with your spouse or family much more if you’ve shut the work day down first. And the ritual of shutting off your cellphone as you cross the threshold of your home is a powerful mental signal which triggers ‘family time’ mode in your mind. If you try to run in both ‘modes simultaneously, then none of the activities you’re mentally or physically involved in will have your complete attention and, by dividing your focus, you’re satisfying no-one.
Have you ever been served by a store clerk who was talking on the phone or texting while serving you? Alternatively, have you watched someone try and order coffee while talking on their cellphone? Did you find it rude? Then don’t be that person with your family.
Another old adage is that ‘no servant can serve two masters’. It can be stressful to try to serve two masters at the same time; you can feel like you’re robbing one or cheating the other. Not to mention the rework that can result from not fully engaging the first time. Switch tasks, rather than work on two at the same time.
My best advice is to engage activities in time chunks, and to separate. Set boundaries about how you will use and interact with your smartphone, your tasks, your technology, and let those close to you know those boundaries. Don’t keep it running 24-7. It’ll wear you down. Shut it down, then open it up. Remember – that’s the easy part. And that is in your control…
