Friends,

Today: a fact and a simple invitation to redeploy the knowledge you have.

The fact: Internet and associated technologies have made worker-leaders busier and heightened demands upon us. The Pew Research Center found in September of last year that nearly half of adults said the Internet increased their work hours (46%), stress (49%) and the difficulty of disconnecting from work at home (49%). (Oh, there’s an upside to be sure: 80% said it’s improved their ability to do their job.) Nine months later, I suspect the stress and demands have mounted measurably due to two factors: layoffs have increased workloads, and technology keeps adding more ways to connect to work. Among the technology changes are two: Upgrades in mobile Internet connectivity and utilization of social networking — use of the latter quadrupled among adults from 2005 to 2009, adding another burden (of opportunity) on us.

So, if you’re feeling hyper-extended, you’re not imagining it and not alone.

Here’s the invitation: Focus on ONE strategy that has helped you to be time-effective in the past. I’ll offer some suggestions, but the keys, I believe, are: adopt a focused, single strategy; and focus on what works for you, regardless of what works for others.

Here are some suggestions. Again, I invite you to put one up on by the deadly computer in front of you:

• Without fail make a goal/to-do list (daily or weekly or in the interval that works for you; I prefer two-week and six-week goals that I keep posted).
• Close the windows! Work on one application at a time.
• Keep a “no” list to force yourself to say no to things that don’t add value.
• If you have an assistant, ask them to screen and flag your e-mail.
• Set specific times in the day to do e-mail and voicemail; don’t let them constantly interrupt your workflow.
• Ignore the BlackBerry during meetings and meals (be clear about exceptions and communicate them to senders, e.g., kids, assistant, as well as to those interrupted).
• Reject the multitask temptation when it comes to people. To quote David Crosby in a different context, “Love the one you’re with!” Be present. It’s nicer, more efficient and less crazy-making.

If you accept my invitation to adopt a (single) strategy, tell someone you’re doing it and ask them to help hold you to it.

As always, I invite you to hit the comments button and share what works for you and learn what works for others — as you:

Lead with your best self,
Dan

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