Do You Control Your Tech or Does It Control You?

When your phone rings, what do you do?

You answer it, of course.

If you are like most, you answer it no matter where you are, what you are doing, or who you are with.

When did technology become the controlling factor in our lives?

Why do we drop everything any time our gadgets signal us?

You should be in charge of your tech, not the other way around.

Does Your Tech Rule Over You?

I am recently back from SXSW where I spoke on the topic of “Mind Productivity.”

(It was a great productivity panel with my colleagues Mike Vardy and Marc and Angel Chernoff.)

The theme was about being mindful in your productivity, specifically, making conscious choices about what you are doing at any given time.

Technology is a topic that often comes up in this discussion, because for many people technology rules over their lives.

The irony here is that we like to think of our gadgets as tools to help us get more done with greater efficiency.

However, often our technology interrupts us all day long. It tells us what we should be reading, doing, and thinking.

“Is your technology a leash that keeps you working 24/7?

Or is it a tool that allows you to do your work when and where you want to?”

There is a big difference.

Ask yourself, “Do you rule your technology or does it rule over you?”

Here are just a few signs that technology is ruling your life:

• Answering your phone no matter what you are doing
• Tweeting during social functions when you are with others
• Reading gossip and news (often the same thing) while with family and friends
• Checking email 37 times a day
• Letting apps interrupt you all day and night with meaningless notifications
• Social media taking priority over what is happening IRL
• Your technology is a convenience device for other people, instead of a productivity tool for yourself
• Jumping to act anytime your phone makes a noise

Take Control of Your Tech

Reacting any time your technology rings, dings, or vibrates is not productive. (Tweet this quote)

Nor is this stimulus-response way of life very fun.

It’s time you start controlling your tech, instead of letting your tech control you.

Question: Do you allow your technology to constantly control your life? How do you ensure your tech is productive instead of disruptive? You can leave a comment by clicking here.