09-29-2002, 07:18 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,177
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Always connected, never focused
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?
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09-29-2002, 07:59 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 110
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Good point!
I took a time management seminar about 2 months agoand they addressed all these issues. It was really good, they asked us to choose 4 itmes that we felt were the core or key most important items that were associated with our professional jobs, and 4 items that were in our personal lives. Then every day we are to focus and take care fo those things first, and then when each one of them were taken care of, then we moved on to the other still important but less important things compaired to the others. This has really focused me in good, I am now accomplishing twice as much because I am prioritized in the proper direction. It amazes me how easy and how fast I got off track. The Phone, just everything in general can scream for your attention and if you are not careful you find yourself refocusing on the lesser items because they seem to be important, and over time your focus gets lost on those items, pulling you away from what really matters most! I think that it is good to take a step back once in a while and re-evaluate your status to prioritze and focus, we all get pulled off guard, and over time wonder how we ever got off on the lesser things. I have sinced given the same time management program to my entire company and it has really helped us to move forward out of some ruts. On a personal level it has been good for me to re focus on my family and other personl goals that had gotten lost over time in the day in and out shuffle.
Thanks for the post. It is a good reminder.
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09-29-2002, 08:15 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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I agree. I find it hard to stay on one thing. Well, gotta run. Two IM windows flashing, an SMS waiting and just got a new email. :wink:
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09-29-2002, 08:26 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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This sounds a lot like that book titled something like "7 habits of successful people"... can't remember the title exactly...
The overall message I see in all of these time mgmt workshops is a potential life changer...
Focus on what's important and not what's urgent!
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09-29-2002, 08:43 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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I think this is something that is very much on topic for many people these days. With communication coming from so many different sources all at the same time it can become overwhelming for some. I think the main key is to prioritize For some people this is very difficult to do, for others it is very easy. I'm very lucky I can do this on autopilot it is second nature for me. I know a lot off people who do a dozen things at the same time, do them lousy, and seldom get any of them done on time. Others do one thing at a time as it needs to be done, and move on to the next. They end up doing them all very well since they were focused and they also get them done in a timely fashion, since they didn't waste valuable time doing something that didn't need to be done till a latter time.
Ok what's next......
Dave
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09-29-2002, 10:50 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,350
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I'm with you Andy. I call it being "detached" and I quite like it. Every now and then. Just like I like being "attached" every now and then.
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09-29-2002, 11:05 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,466
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Re: Always connected, never focused
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Andy Sjostrom
Have noticed that it has become much harder to stay focused?
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I have noticed that the more connected I am, the more I lose concentration on what I am doing at the moment. But I think...tha.... . . .
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09-29-2002, 11:11 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 51
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Thank God I'm not alone. Or should that be, I wish I was alone? 
Seriously, you know it's bad when you get up and the very first thing you do is check your email, and the very last thing you do at night is... one last email check.
I'm asking myself the same questions: do I *really* need to be phone-able at 3am? Do I *really* need to check my email when I'm out of the house for an afternoon? I have this clinging need to know if someone's tried to contact me, and I think I need to get out more 
The thing I love about PPCThoughts is that stuff like this gets posted. Good job guys, and keep it up.
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09-30-2002, 12:08 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 119
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I was right with you until I got to "plan at least one weekend a month without going on line."
WHAT?!?
And since my reaction was that visceral, I know it must be something I need to do. I think I will declare the first weekend of every month Off Line Time.
Thanks for the very important reminder about what's really important.
--Welmoed
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09-30-2002, 12:19 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 46
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My wife just made me disappear for the weekend to a coastal retreat - where there is no GPRS/GSM coverage and my iPaq is out of range....
It took some getting use to, in the end very therapeutic.
Being so connected(ie. online), I find myself working 15+ hours every day - need to be reminded about what is important every now and then.
:!:
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