Bright Ideas # 83 - Are Your Time Management Skills Making You Dumber

Have you ever noticed how highly successful people are incredibly strict with their time? And many fully admit they never touch email, don’t have a blackberry, and let someone else field their calls.

They have layers of people you have to go through in order to secure even a tiny slice of their time and attention. And it often takes weeks to get an appointment.

We expect this. And we respect it.

After all, they are busy, important people. They have more important things to do.

The reality is that most of these folks were tightfisted with their time long before they became so successful and in-demand.

Why? Because they’ve always known they have more important things to do.

They have goals, dreams, visions, projects. And they know you can’t just stop what you are doing at the drop of a hat if you actually want to get anything done.

Yet most entrepreneurs don’t do this, even though you almost always have something more important to do too.

If the phone rings, you answer it.

If an email comes in, you stop whatever you are doing and respond immediately.

And you end up making yourself “always available”.

The thing is, the emails will never stop coming. The phone will never stop ringing. And the more you make yourself available, the more people will suck up your time. Then you work late. You’re tired. Stressed. Burned out.

-----
Taking Back Your Time
-----

Lately, there has been a flood of information on time management. Catch phrases like ‘work-life balance’, ‘take back your time’, and ‘information overload’ are everywhere.

There’s even a hot new book out called “The 4-hour Workweek” (I haven’t read it yet, but did sit in on a telesminar about it recently) that deals with all this.

Of course, time management books have been around for years. But many of them were published before cell phones and email.

Now it seems everyone is talking about limiting your emailing, texting and telephone answering so you can actually get some meaningful work done. Yet hardly anyone is following this advice.

Our need to be constantly connected has become a sick addiction.

And like any addiction, there are a host of nasty side effects. Now we’re finding there may be an even bigger downside to all these technological interruptions than just not getting enough done.

----
Always being “plugged in” may be making you dumber than a stoner
-----

The BBC recently reported on a study conducted for Hewlett-Packard as part of its internal research on ‘infomania’…And the results are downright scary.

Their research indicates that employees and executives regularly distracted by e-mail and phone interruptions suffer a progressive decline in IQ more than twice that found in frequent, long-term marijuana smokers!!!

And it appears there is growing concern that computer and cell phone companies may soon be the target of the same kinds of lawsuits as tobacco and fast food companies.

Okay people. I’m only going to say this once…

Stop the madness!

You are not welded to your cell phone, computer or Blackberry. If you don’t return email for half a day I promise the keyboard isn’t going to explode. And unless you’re a doctor on call, no one is going to die as a result of going to voice mai.

All these things do have off switches. It’s up to you to use them.

Listen, I know it seems almost impossible. But that’s just because being plugged in has become such a habit. We did all live happily without emails and cell phones no so long ago.

Once you spend even a few hours without email, cell phone, or even TV you’ll be amazed at how refreshed you feel. And how clearly you are able to think!

Although I love technology and it is an essential part of running my business, I’m so thankful I’ve never had a problem turning off my cell phone for a few hours so I can get work done (or leaving it home on weekends). And I’ve long believed in only checking email a couple times a day.

Since launching SuccessStream, I’ve become even more stingy with my time.

The result? I’m less stressed. I get more and better work done. I have time to devote to critical tasks like business planning, client projects, and new product development. And I’ve been able to cut my workweek by about 20% while still growing my business.

You can do the same.

---
Ready to try cutting the electronic umbilical cord?
---

Here’s a few suggestions to ease the transition…

Set an email auto-reply (like your out-of-office message) that tells people you are now only checking emails two or three times a day and they should call you if it’s urgent.

Schedule one quiet hour for yourself each day and turn your cell phone and Outlook off.

Disable your automatic email notification feature so you’re not constantly tempted to check it.

Try using a pad and paper whenever possible and get away from the computer.

Schedule family or couple’s time once a week that’s technology free (no TV or movies either).

Take a vacation somewhere that doesn’t have cell service or Internet connections (yes, these places do still exist, even here in the US of A).

Hire a Virtual Assistant to field calls, set appointments, or triage emails a few hours a week.

Give a try and let me know how it goes.

If you want to read about the HP study, go here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4471607.stm.

©2002-2006 Success Stream. All Rights Reserved. www.success-stream.com

Do you have a marketing, advertising or writing question you’d like to have answered? Email me and you might see the answer in a future edition of Bright Ideas.

Was this info useful?
=======================
If so, feel fr*ee to share it with your own list, post it on your site, post it on your blog, or add it to your auto responder. Just make sure you leave it intact and do not alter it in any way. All links must remain in the article.
And, you must include this at the end of the article:

©2002-2006 Success Stream. All Rights Reserved. www.success-stream.com

Please notify me at stacy@success-stream.com when my article is used, whether online or off. Thanks!