C|NET News has an interesting piece on the ways technology REDUCES our work efficiency – too many demands, too many options, too many distractions, and way too much time writing blog entries.
Maybe the issue should really be the blurring of that line dividing work and life. The line “I have a life …” has become my favorate annoyance. The utterance is often used to explain why a task has yet to be completed or why an interesting opportunity is being ignored. It is almost as if work is something that is a nuisance and the required activities should be dispatched as quickly as possible. So, while I do listen to Internet radio or an audiobook while I work and that probably reduces my productivity a bit, I also answer email while at home because I assume the person who sent the note would prefer a rapid reply. The total time involved is greater and the productivity per minute might be lower but that is fine with me.
