Coach Natalie's Blog

The past few weeks have been hectic for a number of reasons that have become all too obvious.  I have too much to do and too many ways of doing it.  I can IM you, Skype you, use my mobile device, telephone, email, fax, text to confirm, write a letter (what?) and yell across the room. 

 

My business communication methods have become a full time job just trying to figure out how to communicate and what method to use.  Here is an example of what I mean: 

 

My new Mastermind business group meets on Friday mornings.  We are a group of 6 individual business owners who are looking to grow our business; support each other's brilliant business ideas and to personally support each other as we execute the ideas, products and services we produce.

 

It became comical in setting  up our 3rd meeting because:  one wanted to be called; one thought texting was good; one was out of town and was not at their usual computer and did not have a mobile device yet; one is kind of old and hates texting and one of the people just wanted an email.  I also thought that everyone should sign up for Skype because of their offerings of live editing, video conferencing and document sharing provides just what a person needs.  My organization uses Skype daily.  It has become as valuable a tool as Google.

 

Isn't is fascinating that when you set up a meeting now you email, text and call?  And when you are at the meeting all our tech devices are sitting on the table ready for us to "notice" what they are providing to us right there and then? 

 

You could ask what happened to paying attention and listening, but who would hear you?

 

This morning at a meeting I had my laptop and Droid with me, as if one way of instantly communicating was not enough.  I needed a double pulse...tell me now, tell me now again.

 

Do note that a sign of the times is the "latest" weekend high cost seminar covers teaching people how to have a balanced life without being controlled and interrupted by their technology.

 

I saved myself lots of money by not attending that seminar by doing the following:  My laptop is no longer allowed to be on in my bedroom after a certain hour in the evening.  My Droid now recharges at night in the kitchen away from my ever vigilant ears.  I no longer have my email open while working on income producing work so my ever curious nature is not redirected by endless non priority email messages and bright shiny objects being discussed in the latest email. 

 

Trust me, this is not easy.  I am also not fully adept at keeping to this commitment yet.  But I am committed to staying aware of how I am operating with my technology devices so I run them and they don't run me.

 

I want to be accountable to what is most important to me and my clients.  What I discovered in my new technology awareness is my time management has suffered because of the very devices I thought would save me time and provide me with a better way of communicating with my clients, prospects and colleagues. 

 

Take your a look at how you are operating with your technology and see if you are as efficient and effective as you want to be.  Believe it or not, all of the devices have an off switch.  Marvelous idea.