One of the great challenges of modern society and business is the ease of access to information. Whether that is through the iPhone, iPad, laptop or desktop information is readily available and if you are blogging, twittering and emailing you receive a constant stream of new information.

This is becoming a real challenge, how do you keep on top of all the new information and still get things done! Like anything else you need a bit of discipline and make a time and place for each activity. Spending too much time on Facebook when you should be working is a recipe for disaster, but checking a few times a day for short periods is OK and not to time consuming. Surfing the next is a good way to find out new things but if you keep chasing rabbits down holes you won’t achieve anything.

So how do you get on top of technology and make it work for you:
– Be disciplined and don’t fall into the trap of “playing” when more important things need to be done
– Resist the need to constantly read emails.
– Turn off the email alert tone. It will stop you looking at your computer or phone, the email will still be there.
– Set a time limit for internet use and only look up information you need.
– Treat reading emails like reading the mail. Set times aside for emails and try to stick to it (some experts advocate two windows a day if you can keep to this you will free up heaps of time).
– Delete unwanted emails immediately.
– If you read an email and can action it, do it. This will save reading an email multiple times.
– Keep you in box clean & tidy (use files) this will make it easier to find and action things.

Try and not be a slave to technology but use it to make like easier.

Nigel Hobbs
Small Fish Business Coaching