Sunday, September 29, 2002
Always connected, never focused
Posted by Andy Sjostrom in "THOUGHT" @ 11:18 AM
Do you remember the last time you were really focused on doing just one thing? Have you noticed that it has become much harder to stay focused? No, I am not asking because I recently turned thirty, but because I am that much more connected now than before. Mobile phones, SMS, wireless e-mail, Instant Messaging, VPN access to the office from home and so on. It is an undisputable fact that I can be reached almost anytime and anywhere, and I am. I can also reach almost anyone else the same way, and I do.
Thus, I feel that it is more difficult today to stay focused on what I do, because of the improved digital connectivity we have available now. So I have started asking myself the questions: Where am I really? Here and with my friends, co-workers and family or there with everyone else? I once read about a study that concluded that if the phone rings, and you're in the middle of a conversation with someone else, in real life, nine times out of ten, you would say that the real life conversation was more important.
So, if you recognize the feeling of being scattered all over the place, that it's hard to stay focused and that you rarely feel that you are present mentally where you are physically, this is for you:
have the mobile phone turned off a few hours every day
if you are in the middle of a conversation, and the phone rings, don't always pick it up
if the phone rings, don't always pick it up period.
every once in a while, sign out from Instant Messaging even if you are connected and working at your computer
sign out from your e-mail application a couple of times every day, so that you won't be tempted to check e-mail every two minutes
plan at least one weekend every month without going online
don't bring your Pocket PC with you every time you leave the house
go back to the habit of giving flowers or [insert nice thing here] regurarly to your partner
spend more time with your kids, and while you do, don't think about other things
take a walk every now and then, not to get things but just to take a walk
Personally, this list is a challenge. Do you feel same way?
Thus, I feel that it is more difficult today to stay focused on what I do, because of the improved digital connectivity we have available now. So I have started asking myself the questions: Where am I really? Here and with my friends, co-workers and family or there with everyone else? I once read about a study that concluded that if the phone rings, and you're in the middle of a conversation with someone else, in real life, nine times out of ten, you would say that the real life conversation was more important.
So, if you recognize the feeling of being scattered all over the place, that it's hard to stay focused and that you rarely feel that you are present mentally where you are physically, this is for you:
have the mobile phone turned off a few hours every day
if you are in the middle of a conversation, and the phone rings, don't always pick it up
if the phone rings, don't always pick it up period.
every once in a while, sign out from Instant Messaging even if you are connected and working at your computer
sign out from your e-mail application a couple of times every day, so that you won't be tempted to check e-mail every two minutes
plan at least one weekend every month without going online
don't bring your Pocket PC with you every time you leave the house
go back to the habit of giving flowers or [insert nice thing here] regurarly to your partner
spend more time with your kids, and while you do, don't think about other things
take a walk every now and then, not to get things but just to take a walk
Personally, this list is a challenge. Do you feel same way?
