Opinion: Technology wise, the more we make things easier, smarter, faster, smaller, all to be more efficient, cooler, etc. The less productive, the more distracted and the less human we become, we are losing our social skills and our children have even less. And yes, I do own a successful technology company!
Too many times I run into a customer or business partner who is so engrossed with their devices that they are unable to get any work done. As a matter of fact, because they have all this information coming to them, calls from multiple phones, texts, emails, social medias, etc. We are at a point were there is so much coming at us, that we are unable to effectively manage all the immediate input and wants of us to focus on one thing and complete it. Thus being productive, which was the original goal.
I conducted my own personal experiment. I turned in my smart phone for a flip top. I usually receive on average 100 emails per day. Combined with all the calls and everything else I do during the day I am a little slammed. Since going back in time, and turning off the cell phone while in the office and having my assistant take my calls, reading emails only a few times during the day, and doing IMPORTANT social media I get more work completed. I also leave my phone in the car during appointments as to be respectful to the other person. I can check for calls when I am back in my car before I start to drive. If anyone does die in the meantime, they will still be dead and will probably not get mad at me.
I look at these companies that pump out a new upgrade or device every six months to a year, many times not fully tested and still with bugs all in the name of the mighty dollar, your demigod. Slow down, take a step back, relax, focus and be more productive. Here is an idea, spend some time with your wife and kids… Shut off your wireless router in the house and play a board game.