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Learn to minimize technology distractions and maximize your efficiency at the office.

Now that the holidays have passed and many of us have new electronic devices, it’s a good time to think about how we incorporate technology into our work. Do we use our devices to their full capacity, integrating them into our tech-driven existence? Or are they distracting us from what we really should be doing?

If you haven’t recently thought about how technology may be impacting your productivity, consider these findings:

As if foretelling our current situation, in 1971 the New York Times quoted English chemist and novelist Charles Percy Snow as saying, “Technology… is a [peculiar] thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other.” For all of the wonderful reasons that we can no longer live without it, what technology demands of us has us slowly bleeding to death.

The Tried and True
You can minimize the negative impact of technology by implementing some common, but significant suggestions:

New Suggestions
The upside of technology is that companies are constantly creating new ways to help us work smarter. The downside is that you have to carve out time to do some research about what will truly be of value to you. While there are no one-size-fits-all recommendations, here are a couple of suggestions to get you started.

There is a reason why your IT staff is indispensable. They are tech-savvy (They know how things work); whereas most of us are merely tech-dependent (We can’t live without it). This new year, resolve to become more tech-savvy. Set aside one hour per week this month to do research about the devices you own and their capabilities. Then you can make changes using that information and the above ideas to help you tame your technology, improve your productivity and get some time back in your day. iBi

Jennifer Cross is the owner of Princeton Leadership Services, a consulting firm specializing in leadership training and development programs. Learn more at PrincetonLeadershipServices.com.

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