I was in a discussion group recently where someone commented that she valued "getting away from the electronics."This struck me as odd: Why "get away from" electronics? That it would be like saying I wanted to get away from electric lights or modern plumbing. They're all just tools that serve functions, no more, no less. Not having them around means I can do less -- for fun or work.
Although the person later clarified that she meant "get away from it all," not just electronics specifically, I suspect her first thought actually reflects what a lot of people feel: Having electronic devices, especially cell phones, Blackberries and other PDAs, and access to "everything" wherever they are creates stress. Leave the device behind, and the stress goes away.
The thing is, that's a terrible strategy.
Sure, we all need time to think, to disengage, and to relax. But, cutting off access to "the electronics" is really nothing more than "shooting the messenger." The pressures and responsibilities don't go away, it's just that you've removed your ability to manage them.
Ultimately, that's not a work/life balance, that's a crash diet. And, like a fad diet, you might see some benefits for a week or two, but when things return to normal, you're in thicker than ever.
One of the things I've learned from using David Allen's Getting Things Done approach to personal management is the skill of "opting in" to focus on something, releasing my focus, and refocusing on something else. It happens on a micro level with ongoing interruptions, and on a macro level, when I chose to devote my time to doing one thing over another.
As technologies make the old boundaries of time and location even less relevant for determining where your focus evaporate, developing an ability to chose your intentions -- without having to cast off your tools -- is going to become an even more critical skill.
To my mind, this means learning more about how to "get to it all" in all aspects of life, and less about getting away from any of it.
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3 comments:
Hi Kal!
Cool blog. I would have to take issue with this though. For me, just the fact that I *have* to have my cell phone on me 24/7 and it *might* ring with some new crisis is enough to bother me. And without living in a giant Faraday cage, there's no way to escape. At least with a pager I could say, "Hey, there's wasn't a phone around."
Hi Mitchell,
Thanks for the comment!
Your answer actually gets at the point I'm trying to make: You're focusing on "escaping," rather than managing the commitments in an ongoing, livable way.
Since the cell phone and other technologies now with you 24/7, doesn't it make more sense in the long run to learn how to cope with having them in your life -- and creating an ongoing sense of balance for yourself -- as opposed to thinking about ignoring them?
I realize that this is easier said than done, but I have a feeling that being able to live without boundaries that traditionally have been created by time, distance, and communications limitations is the way of the future.
Make any sense?
kal
I'm going to have to disagree on at least a couple of fronts. First off, until the rest of our institutions catch up to the always connected world, then there is going to be some issues. Right now, I'm connected to the my job 24/7 via cell, email, etc. But I still have to show up at my desk 8-5 M-F just like I'm some sort of assembly line worker.
If you haven't seen the book, "Why work sucks", you might want to check it out. It addresses some of these types of issues as Best Buy has tried to solve them. Basically saying your time's your own but you need to accomplish these results. Interesting idea.
The second point is that of boundaries. There is literally no time in my life when I'm not on call. If I was some sort of extreme workaholic that might be fine but I do aspire to a social life and things like that.
Many of these kinds of things are not under an individual's control, at least in the short term. As a society we're going to have to come to terms with them.
So in a lot of ways these are cultural and institutional problems that are going to need to be worked out but, until they are, I (and a lot of others) are going to feel a need to escape.
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