Historically, the Industrial Revolution and subsequently, the “technology revolution,” were predicted to enable more leisure time for workers. Yet, when we take a look around us, we see overwhelmed, stressed-out people attempting to manage multiple communication channels in their business and personal lives.
“Early in the nineteenth century, most Americans worked twelve hours a day, six days a week. The work week shrank gradually during the nineteenth century and more quickly during the twentieth. The traditional six-day week was shortened to five and a half days during the 1920s and to the five-day, forty-hour week during the 1930s.” (Preservation Institute)
What happened? The shortening of the official work week was supposed to free us and give us more time for our families and friends while allowing us to sustain the same standards of living. Yet, we are bombarded by more communication devices, tools, and channels than ever before. From the traditional telephone and telex, we got the fax machine, then the Internet, e-mail, blogs and social networking sites. The ocean of communication channels increases rapidly. The questions are…
1. As exciting as these new channels are, are we (as marketers) becoming slaves to them, attempting to keep up for fear of falling behind and becoming obsolete?
2. How does this situation contribute to the division between our work and leisure time?
3. Are we addicted to our communication tools, devices, and channels?
4. How has the situation affected our quality of life and the number of hours we inevitably work weekly?
Please share your experiences. Are we stopping to “smell the roses,” or are we too wrapped up in the next big thing?
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Tags: blogs, communication, leisure, Social networking, work
Elaine, timely topics for sure. Are we addicted to our communication tools and devices? I’d say yes. I’m one of the few dolts that doesn’t have a 3G phone and just this morning, I asked a colleague of mine if he’d ever give his up. He said, never, no way, and not gonna happen.
Now a follow on question is, what is all this multi- tasking doing to our quality of life? What physical changes are we creating in our bodies from our addictions to technologies and tools?
Elaine,
You ask all the right questions. I can’t add much to the conversation because in my 35 years I’ve seen lots of tools come and go. In my business development/marketing firm, I and my consultants focus on goals and strategies, not on the latest tools. It puts us where we need to be for our clients, as by placing the focus where we do, we only use the tactics that will deliver results, traditional and new technologies, integrated to deliver ROI.
Thanks, Paul! I don’t have a smartphone either. But you raise another interesting question – what is this doing to our health and adaptability as human beings?
Lewis, you obviously have a formula that works. There are probably people who would agree that substance takes precedence over the technology. However, more and more people are becoming dependent on the technology to make their jobs easier. If it works, great. I’m wondering if it can add to our stress and in fact, make our lives more complicated?
Right ..! I don’t have a smartphone either
OK, I’ll be the opposing view since my smartphone is with me. Like everything else the freedom/dependency has a lot to do with your personal ability to resist temptation. This is not always easy.
However, it does help to keep business moving along when you have to work across several timezones or continents. It also provides peace of mind to leave the office on a very long commute but be able to finish the day with co-workers (public transportation so no concerns about text/email while driving). My phone greatly reduces the time needed to perform this work. I do plead guilty to letting it get carried away at times.
Just another extension of reducing communication barriers; remember the pink slips (phone messages, NOT layoff) before voicemail and email? Remember to use prudently.
Thanks, NWGuy. I totally understand how effective these tools can be. You’re right in that we need to use them prudently.
We can also benefit from an electronic etiquette manual! Like no texting at the dinner table; no cell calls during religious services; no reading e-mails during intimacy…:)
I am sitting in my daughter’s home is LA (visiting from Atlanta) typing on my Laptop with my iPhone next to me. It’s 7 Am and I have been able to check all of my and my customers social media profiles, create a new promotional email, and respond to my emails all in the hour I have been awake.
Now today I can enjoy my time with her and still be available if their is a client emergency. If anything, technology has made my life a lot easier and has given me more freedom. I can’t wait to see what is next.
I wonder if our ancestors thought that the invention of the wheel made their life more complex and harder?
Thanks, Harry! I think it’s great that you were able to take care of things using technology in order to have more quality family time. Kudos to you! I agree that techno tools have enabled us to do more from a distance than ever before. It sounds like you’ve got a good balance going.