With BlackBerry owners numbering in the multi-millions, and
new devices and applications coming on the market every
day, mobile messaging devices have become a essential
business tool.
Yet these devices represent a larger potential threat to
your career success than any economic slowdown, company
setback, or aggressive new competitor.
The problem is not with the technology, of course. Having
the ability to work on collaborative projects while on the
go, and access to information wherever you are, is a real
advantage.
The problem with the BlackBerry, or any messaging device,
lies in how you manage it.
The very existence of mobile messaging devices - like
pagers before them - implies that the messages they carry
demand an immediate response.
It doesn't matter what time of day it is or what else you
are doing. A text message, like an email or cell-phone
call, can make something seem urgent when it's not. It can
also distract your attention from more important things,
whether it's the project you're completing, the
conversation you're having, or even the road you're driving
on.
If you're not suffering from the symptoms of a "Blackberry
Addict" who can't seem to attend a child's school play, eat
a family dinner, or sit through a meeting without
acknowledging and responding to messages, you may think
you're OK. But think again.
While rudeness to companions and the inability to ever slow
down and relax may be cause to limit your messaging, the
major compelling reason is what messaging does to your
productivity.
A study by researchers at London's Kings College found that
workers distracted by email and phone calls suffered an IQ
drop of 10 points. While the effect was temporary, it was
more than double the IQ drop of people under the influence
of marijuana.
To many people these findings are astounding, however to
psychologists, they are no surprise.
Whenever you engage in multiple tasks, like text-messaging
while having a conversation, or driving while talking on a
cell-phone, whether you realize it or not, you decrease
your ability to perform well in either one. Switching back
and forth between activities isn't much better. It takes
time for your brain to shut down one function or thought
process and start up on another.
So what can you do to avoid the dark side?
KNOW YOUR GOALS - Decide what matters most in every area of
your life. When you know what's really important, you can
decide what to respond to right away and what to defer.
Everything isn't critical!
CHUNK YOUR ACTIVITIES - Set aside a block of time to work
on writing that report. After a brief break, review and
respond to emails. Schedule another time for phone calls,
etc. You'll increase your productivity and your efficiency
when your brain doesn't have to constantly switch tasks.
KEEP YOURSELF FOCUSED - Be proactive, not reactive. Set
clear priorities in advance. Ask yourself, "what's the most
valuable thing I can do with my time right now." Schedule
that task first, then the next most important and so on.
Focus in one thing at a time. Shut down message alerts and
direct all calls to voicemail until your next scheduled
time to check messages.
There's no denying the advantage of technological tools,
but keep in mind their dark side as well. Concentration is
the key to productive efficiency. You can't afford to let
every incoming message or call break your focus. Make sure
you stay in control.
----------------------------------------------------
Dr. Robert Karlsberg and Dr. Jane Adler are leading experts
in maximizing career and business performance, and
co-authors of How to Become a Rising Star in Your Career in
60 Days or Less. Discover the Expert Performance System
that Gets You Where You Want to Go in Your Career, Visit
http://www.StarIn60.com
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