Technology Paradox: Are you hooked into technology or is technology hooked into you?

I was recently traveling in the Colorado Rockies “off the grid” with no cellular service and no internet access unless I took a hike up to the hill to the pasture and stood under the big pine tree where I was able to access three bars on my smart phone. I wonder if this is how the indigenous felt when they sent out their smoke signals….. It’s amazing how much technology rules our life and distracts our focus, yet as business owners how dependent we have become to staying plugged in and connected to our phones and our devices 24×7.

As Stress Mastery Expert, I’m always working with my clients to be more present, more mindful and more centered in their body so they can respond with effective problem solving when challenges hit rather than losing energy and spinning their wheels by going into emotional reactivity. Being a problem responder and not a problem reactor is at the core of the stress resilience techniques and strategies that I offer through my stress management programs. The downside of our technology dependency is that it often pulls us out of presence and distracts our attention from those around us.

As important as technology is to our workflow, it can also be the source of our stress. The paradox is that we rely on our technology tools to track the many things on our to-do list and to communicate with others but just when we are in a productive rhythm, an email comes in that we need to respond to or our phone alert goes off with a text or social media alert. The distraction from our devices as we stay connected to our business demands a constant split attention that can be energy draining and derail our efficiency. Ultimately, the resulting competing priorities will lead to overwhelm and lack of productivity, which will create burnout and suppress our creativity. This is the downside of how technology efficiency tools can contribute to our stress.

So where is the balance of staying connected to your business and focused on the task at hand? We’ve all been at a restaurant where everyone is looking at their smart phone instead of talking to one another. How often do we miscommunicate the tone through text messages and email? Clear communication requires listening with presence and focus so we can support the needs of our customer or client.

We all know about self-care and health practices but what about care for our SELF so we can focus our energy and manage our stress during a busy workday? We can invest in our SELF-Care by setting personal boundaries around our technology tools. Many of us have a subconscious habit, like an addiction, to mindlessly check our smart phones for alerts and calls frequently during the day. What if you apply some mindfulness practices around your Smart Phone?

Technology Self-Care practices to free yourself from technology distraction

• Take your lunch break away from your desk. Eat lunch without your phone or computer to distract you. Taking a technology break in your day can help you to gain an energy boost and to reset your mind from all the noise.
• Turn off your phone when you go to bed at night and leave it in another room. Don’t bring your business calls into your sanctuary.
• When exercising, leave your phone in the locker so you can stay focused
• Turn your phone to silent while at the table. You can be more mindful with your food and more present with your table companions.
• Set a timer for 20-30 minute segments of focused project time to not allow any distractions such as email or text messages for that 20-minute window
• Schedule times during your day to read your email and respond to social media that are designated, scheduled times rather than weaving in these activities throughout your day at frequent intervals that can pull you into distraction and procrastination.

Sara Regester, Stress Mastery Expert, is the founder of Directions 4 Wellness, and creator of the “Turn Your Stress into Success” programs that promote Stress Resiliency to support success driven individuals to be successful without wiping themselves out from stress. Her highly transformative programs are available to individuals and businesses. Visit www.Directions4Wellness.com to download her free ebook “The True Cost of Stress”