A few weeks back, we started talking about the four key environments that you can optimize to increase productivity.
Today, we're concentrating on the third environment -- the technology environment. Your technology has incredible potential to be either a time-saver or a time-sucker. How you leverage it will make all the difference.
Did you know that on average:
During the pandemic, Americans spent over 8 hours per day streaming content
That equates to a LOT of screen time -- and a LOT of potential distraction from productivity.
How can you leverage your technology environment to become more productive? There are MANY ways to do this -- but today we’ll focus on just three simple strategies.
Timebox your distractions. Social media can be entertaining and valuable to keep up with relationships -- and TV can be a great stress reliever at the end of the day. However, these outlets can also quickly suck you into a black hole of distraction. When you timebox your usage of TV and social media, you can use them appropriately. How long do you want to spend scrolling through feeds? 5 minutes? 15 minutes? Set a timer before you scroll. How many shows do you want to watch before you go to bed? Set a limit before you have the chance to binge-watch the entire series. When you do this, you are less likely to continue scrolling or watching beyond the time you've set as healthy and beneficial toward your productivity.
Use an auto-responder. Like it or not, email is here to stay. And, like the laundry, as soon as one wrinkle gets straightened out, another three wrinkles pop up that need your attention. Accept the fact that you will always have more emails coming in. However, you don't need to answer every email immediately. What time works best for you to check your email? Is it between 11 and 1 PM? Or how about 9 and 11 AM? You know what works best in your schedule with your rhythm of energy and the nature of your organization. Set a time block to check and respond to emails. Then, create an auto-responder that lets your senders know when you plan on checking your email and when they can expect a response from you. This will remove some of the pressure of having to respond instantly. You may have to do some "preparation work" ahead of time to alert your teammates and customers as to your new email plan. But, using an auto-responder is a great way to take control of your inbox before your inbox takes over your workday.
Hide (or eliminate) those distracting apps. We all have those apps on our phones that drag our attention away from what's most important. However, have you ever considered hiding or eliminating those apps? On your phone, you have the ability to create folders to organize your apps. Why not create a "distractions" folder where you will pull your Instagram, Facebook, Candy Crush, TikTok, (etc) apps into. Then put this "distractions" folder on another home screen. This way, you won't be tempted to open the apps that distract you the most as soon as you unlock your phone. Eliminate the temptation to use your distracting apps before they can reduce your productivity!
A few small shifts in how you use technology can leverage tremendous dividends in productivity!
There are many more ways to leverage the power of technology to be a time-saver instead of a time-sucker -- but now, I'm curious...
How do YOU leverage the power of technology to improve your productivity?
Drop me an email and let me know!
