Comments on: Driven to distraction by technology

Workers drowning in e-mail, cell calls and IMs are finding ways to break free--and software makers are trying to meet their needs.

[usamoxie]

Turn them OFF!!

The solution to this problem is very easy. Turn off the devices and do your work!!! I used to work for CSC a few years ago and was being interrupted constantly (by managers, supervisors and the like, until one day, trying to meet a deadline, I turned off my "Cell phone" & the "email". Well it didn't take long, later that morning the Department Head came in to see me, ticked off because I hadn't responded to his many messages! I simply said, "Do you want me spending all day responding to you & everyone elses messages OR do you want me to complete the projects that I'm assigned too complete on-time & on-budget?", he paused, said "Get the project completed" and walked off.

After that I informed the staff that I would check my email 3 times a day & my phone messages 5 times a day, or they may reach me at 8:00am, 11:30am and 3:00pm.

Guess what. . . I got my work done (& so did they) and we all completed the projects more effective!

Have a great day,

Larry

How importand are you?

you must have to be the head of the CIA if you are that important. TURN IT OFF, WE ARE NOT THE BORG!

[JLBer]

Nice.

>"Do you want me spending all day responding to you
>& everyone elses messages OR do you want me to
>complete the projects that I'm assigned too
>complete on-time & on-budget?", he paused, said
>"Get the project completed" and walked off.

I would have paid just to hear you say that and see the look on his face. Nicely done!

[Nael]

Use common sense.....

The beauty of not having a computer at home is quality time to yourself reading from a REAL BOOK, not online. It's amazing how much at peace you are with yourself. Just like the previous posting stated, TURN IT OFF. It works.

Technology is not everything, there is more to life then always being connected. I've learned the hard way after losing a couple realy GOOD jobs dude to my personal habits.

Also, the policy of the firm is not to be big brother so we as workers should use common sense. Who is paying your bills? Being on the internet, on your cell phone, or doing your projects on time and on budget.

Dude the previous post made me laugh so hard. Like the last, post I would like to see that guys face. It would of been a classic.

Salam (PEACE)
Nael Mohammad

[201293546946733175101343322673]

You Are In Control

Nobody says you HAVE TO check your email every minutes, you HAVE TO answer a phone, you HAVE TO reply that IM ASAP. After all I have a TV in my house, that does not mean I have to watch it 24/7, right? :)

[Bill Dautrive]

Well,

Given your totally unintelligent and inarticulate posts, you either spend most your time in your parents basement watching TV or hanigng oaround AOL chat rooms.

[Andrew J Glina]

EMail Filters

It isn't that hard to solve the EMail problem. I am only bothered when certain key words are in the message.

Opting Out

I don't want to be always connected. I want to be always informed.

too much communication

I completely agree. Americans are fighting this information overload and taking it too lightly. People are getting so many diseases- all related to stress. Then the Yoga and meditation fads come in and take over. Hey - take some time for yourself. Give yoruself a break from 'information', and try to hug the cat or do what you 'really' want to do. Finbd outdoor hobbies and for heavens sake- cook healthy real food for the kids (no frozen or canned food)....

There's more to life than communication.(email, phones etc.) Communicate wiht those that really matter- and make eye contact when you do it.

Don?t shoot the messenger

E-mail, instant messaging, phone and voicemail are simply conduits for communication. They do not author content ? they have no say so in the timing of communiqués. I argue the tools are not the problem, but rather the misappropriate use of these tools for non-valued added purposes. Placed in the wrong hands, these tools become weapons of mass distraction.

[jasonemanuelson1]

Balance

It is all a matter of balance. With everything in life becoming so
competitive, people strive to be more communicative every day.
The market answers wit tolls that will communicate in almost
every scenario. I know people that have telephones built into
their bathrooms, or take their cell phone into the bathroom.
There are valid points by the author, but there are valid points
that technology is not to blame, the user is, but then there are
arguments that people need to be that way in order to survive.
The big question is whether we are all willing to stop and really
observe whether or not all of this impacts us or not. To some it
will, to some it will not. But, we all really have to make a point of
noticing things like this in order to keep from going crazy.

[Bill Dautrive]

I agree

I only check my email twice a day and refuse to ever have a cell phone. Problem solved for me. With people who need a cell( or think they need one), need to ask themselves why they have it and does it help them.

I do think that adding the ability to block most of the calls coming in at will would be useful. A parent that is on the move a lot at work and constantly harrassed by pointless phone calls all day would not want to turn it off for fear of missing a call from their kids school. Also, shutting your boss out, usually isn't a good idea.