It is an addiction, study shows a third of office workers were stressed by the volume of message & that’s only email.
Trust me, Being ‘always on’ does affect productivity & create stress.
With your notebook, multiple phones, that constantly beep, it is very difficult to switch off. And when you switch off the office work, there is Face Book, Twitter that needs your attention or else you are not with the times.
It is funny to see 3-4 friends sitting over coffee or drinks & 2 of them are texting, whilst the others are speaking on the phone; then why meet? You could might as well do that on the phone.
I am constantly asked “How do you manage official work, email, Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Partying & even writing a Blog”.
And I say “EVERYTHING IS FINE IN MODERATION”
Some of the rules that I follow to disengage & recharge myself, at the same time have me time:
1) I check & respond to your emails just 3-4 times a day, this includes laptop & smartphone.
2) As for FB; Linkedin, Twitter I just go cold turkey.
3) I leave my phone behind when I go on the gym floor.
4) I use Tech to the maximum - program email, blog, phone to garner maximum productivity.
Because, I believe - Be the one to control devices & not the other way around.

Truly said. And the last line is bang-on!
March 1st, 2010 at 3:50 pmVery true.
Some SocNets I have taken to. Some I just dont bother with.
All are ’secondary’ to my ‘primary’ role in life - that of being loyal to my work. Ultimately that’s what puts the bread on the table.
As you very simply put it: Control the devices. Dont them them control you.
Nice post.
March 1st, 2010 at 10:36 pm