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Technological Boundaries

· Time Management,Work Styles,Expectations,Stress

Lunch with a good friend, “Olivia”, recently prompted a conversation about accessibility. Technology today allows us to make phone calls, read text messages and longer e-mails from a phone or other device right in the palms of our hands. For years, I’ve forwarded my home phone to my cell phone, this came from the ability to of being accessible to an elderly parent who lived alone. As a habit, now I also forward my business line to my cell as well. Yet, I don’t generally give out my cell phone number. Unlike most people, when I’m home, it’s turned off so you can reach me personally or professionally with the numbers you already have. And if I don’t want to answer, there is always caller ID.

Olivia witnessed my looking at two calls coming through while we were together. Her phone was in the car. Like me, she’s a consultant, whose day could be a combination of working from home, servicing her clients in person or attending business and professional networking meetings. Her philosophy is that she doesn’t want to be that accessible, staying focused on the moment and addressing calls and e-mails at times through the day that are more convenient for her. Olivia is attempting to maintain the kind of inaccessibility that we all once had before all these technological advances became a part of our lives.

How do you manage your technology? How do you manage the interruptions? How quickly do you respond to people trying to reach you? What are your boundaries?

"Doubt, of whatever kind,

can be ended by action alone."

- Thomas Carlyle, Philosopher and Author