Is Being Connected All The Time A Good Thing?

Oregon’s new distracted driving law went into effect on October 1 and it got me thinking. The new law prohibits drivers from touching or holding a phone while driving. As a mother of two young kids who will be driving sooner than I would like, I applaud this new law.

But what really had my brain working overtime is: are we all too connected? Is constantly being connected at work and at home really a benefit, or is it a curse?

The lines have been blurred by technology

It used to be you could come home from work and leave the office behind. You could be fully present with your family and your neighborhood. Living in a hyper-connected world blurs the boundaries between work and personal life and I am not sure that is a good thing.

With just one or two clicks on our smartphone, technology has made it easy to stay in touch with what is happening at work. And as we have become more connected, business demands that we achieve higher productivity.

The bar has been raised from doing really good work at work to being on call and working constantly in some form or fashion.

The adverse effects are real

We all know being continually connected can make us more productive, but at what cost? What is the personal impact of always being on call?

It affects our well-being. Think of the last time you worked a 9 hour day, got home, fixed dinner, helped the kids with their homework and all the while you were checking your phone to be sure nothing blows up at work.

It’s exhausting and not sustainable. There is a reason doctors and pilots are allotted breaks during their long shifts - they need to renew and recharge. If they make a material error - well, you can take that to its logical conclusion.

The barrage of information - constantly - takes its toll on all of us in one form or another. We become irritated, unfocused and we make mistakes. And making critical errors at work can set you back.

Related: The Power of Silence

Present/Not Present

When was the last time you attended a meeting and half the participants were more focused on their phones than the topic being discussed?

When was the last time one of your friends interrupted your conversation to show you something they just saw on Instagram?

When was the last time you finished a meal with your family when no one looked at a phone?

We’re physically present but not mentally present – and we’re missing out.

Setting limits can make the difference

I embrace connectivity but I also set limits. Here’s how I do it.

I have a policy that when I’m meeting one-on-one with someone in my office my phone is put away. I can’t really engage if I’m dividing my attention. Maybe this is why so many people are disengaged in the workplace – everyone is distracted and not paying attention.

Create black out times for your phone - and not just when you are asleep! I do it when I pick the kids up from school. I engage with them and my phone is not a priority for an hour.

Make a habit of not checking work email after a certain time. This is a hard one but it makes a world of difference and most things can wait.

Being connected is a wonderful thing - the world is literally at our fingertips. It’s important not to let it take over. Use it to your advantage at work and at home but set limits for you and your family.