Is it just me... or does it seem like technology has made life worse?

I am perplexed.  All the promise on the paperless office and the technology tools that will make our life a breeze... just doesn't seem like it's delivered.  Do you honestly feel your life is easier and more productive than pre-email / pre-crackberries / pre-internet?

This has been a major problem for me - and is only getting worse.  I have gone through an unsubscribed to 95% of the newsletters I was getting.

I shut my phone off and reply calls at my convenience.

I limit email as much as I can force myself to.

I even have started escaping for a day or two in a row to get writing done.

But it still seems like I cannot get caught up.

If you have been following my blog for some time, you would know that I held a marketing Summit last week.  It was a ton of fun and a great learning experience marketing the Summit and filling the room.  The event was a major hit (see testimonials below).  It was everything I had dreamt about - and it has opened up the flood gates for a whole new line of business.  It has also opened up the floodgate for demand on my time.

If you feel like you are in overwhelm with your to-do list... join me in my quest for control.

- emails - checked 3 times a day - delegate what I can, defer what it is not important, be delete-happy with the rest

- phone - leave it shut off - deal only with pre-scheduled calls - delegate incoming calls (if possible)

- get out of the office! My most productive days are far away from the office - without a phone and without email. I can get more done in 2 days this was than 4 weeks out of my office

- massive action. find the people to help you get more done. Hire VA's - hire students - hire freelancers.  triple your team and you can get 10X more done

I will continue this rant - but I thought you'd like to see what things I am doing to accomplish a LOT more in much less time.

Troy

Comments

[David Rachford]

Troy,
So True!

I recommend a couple of books - particulary ones by Steve Chandler "17 Lies we tell ourselves and the truth that will set you free" and "9 lies about your business"

As our means of communication proliferate - we need to carve out time for connection; with our families, and - Most importantly - OURSELVES.

We're like bees - buzzing around a garden of flowers - touching one here for a moment, buzzing over there - buzzing - busy as a bee - but not getting any real work done.

Oh, how I long for a day of summer - like how when I was a kid - to go for a hike, lay on a rock, look up at the clouds - and think - until it was time to eat.

Keep writing!
David

[David Rachford]

Oh yeah...

It's just you.

Technology can't make things worse - it's what you allow in your life that makes things worse.

To assign the blame on technology is to be a victim - and I thought your were Canadian... but not a victim.

I have the same challenges - and I know I cause them. I'm American - but I'll let the rest of my compatriots be the victims if they choose to be.

[Ramon Ray]

I think this is a utopian nirvana and really depends on the type of business and resources you have; let's say you're a sub 5 person business - checking email only 3x per day - could cause you to lose a contract;

turning the phone off, could mean a client is not getting serviced.

Ramon Ray - http://www.smallbiztechnology.com

[Terry Hall - The Small Business Prophet(tm)]

Hello Troy,

Before I forget... Great Job on the Wild West Wealth Summit! My head is still spinning from all of the great information. You did a top rate job. Count me in on whatever you have planned next.

My experience is that every time I turn around, the more there is to get done and the longer it takes. The way that I manage is to have a regular meditation practice which develops my Business Intuition.

I plan my day then using my Business Intuition, I know what will take linger, what has to be done and what can wait. I also get a sense of how much unscheduled time I need to plan for fires and unexpected problems.

Cheers,
Terry Hall - The Small Business Prophet(tm)