Home Office Distractions: Tools & Technology

Don’t you love technology?  I know I do!  The age of the internet and technology is one wild ride, filled with all kinds of tools and toys coming in and out of our lives.  The latest buzz on a PDA, electronics, social media, the newest plug-in, etc.  Besides the self-loathing and “oh-my-gosh-there’s-no-way-that-is-the-real-time” feeling, what happens when all of that becomes distracting?   Productivity suffers and work we need or want to do doesn’t get done.  I’m as guilty as the next of visiting this bottomless candy store of information we call the internet, checking out the latest gadget or trying a system I know won’t work for my quirky personality.  So, with all these great tools, how can you use them effectively?

Know why you’re using them. This is my new my mantra, “Why am I doing (or using) that?”.  Using a tool to help propel your business forward is great, if you are actually using it for that purpose. If you have and use Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, what is the purpose?  A tool is only as useful as the reason you use it.  For example, I use Twitter as a sort of virtual water cooler and networking tool.  Working at home can be a little lonely when you’re an extrovert like me (and you?) and you crave face to face contact.  Twitter fills that need for interaction, networking and just plain learning from people who I respect and want to be around.  That’s why I use it.

All in moderation. I know, it sound like a diet plan, but it’s one of the oldest pieces of advice there is.  If you’re obsessing about a tool and it’s not actually helping you, it could be time to re-evaluate and bring a little balance to thyself.  There is a dizzying amount of choices and tools out there (yippee!), so use those that help you without making you an obsessed (or frustrated) maniac.

If you can’t figure out how to use it, it might be the wrong tool. Sometimes, even with the best intentions, a tool might not be well suited to you.  It doesn’t matter what a “guru” says about organization or productivity if you want to crawl under a rock every time you think about implementing their system.  For example, if a PDA is a frustrating enigma, give yourself permission to use the good old paper planner.  Use what works for you, with the shortest learning curve possible.

Technology doesn’t always mean it comes with a plug.  Wikipedia describes technology as, “…a broad concept that deals with the usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects the ability to control and adapt to the environment… but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques.” A tool or technology can be a way you deal with paper, a technique you use to keep track of your time or how you make coffee in the morning.  Think outside the box a little and use your own creativity to solve a problem, instead of a one-size-fits-all that comes in a box.  The possibilities are endless!

Now don’t get me wrong, I love my Blackberry Curve and iPod as much as the next.  I also know what it’s like to get obsessed to the point of distraction with tools, technology and toys (don’t even get me started on how much fun Consumer Reports is).  I’ve also watched my clients struggle with a system or tool that they “should” use and ended up cluttering a corner.  Tools and technology should be a part of the bigger plan and complement life as we know it.  Sometimes it make sense to simplify and revisit the value those things do (or don’t) bring to our life, work and business. When we use tools and technology with a definite purpose in mind, only then do they become useful.  Isn’t that the point?