6 Tips for mindfulness in dealing with technology and information

Technology gives us many new opportunities. The challenge is that we make the right use of them. However, many people feel the pressure to be constantly available. Due to imformation overload many people also have the difficulty to filter out what is relevant. They feel a loss of concentration and focus on the actual work, which in turn leads to restlessness, time pressure, stress.

Employees must not only learn how to use tools and technology in their work, but also how to use these tools and the available information consciously .

The following tips, which I apply myself, help you to maintain focus and become more productive.

 

1) Be clear about your personal goals

First of all it is important to become clear about your personal goals:

Then you can decide for yourself which information or experts contribute to it, so that you can achieve these goals.

If your goals are clear, then you can also determine how you consume information and how you would like to be seen in social media or in the enterprise social network – rather as a self-promoter who is focused on himself and his person, or as an expert who helps others to achieve their goals.

You can also decide which groups/communities will help you and in which communities you can make a contribution.

You get back on what you focus on.

So if you follow positive thinking and positive people, you get positive things, feedback and help back. We cannot change external circumstances – for example negative news – but we can shape the influence on us.

 

2) Be online in social media consciously

Every time you go online – whether in social media or in the enterprise social network – you should have a clear intention:

• post your own article
• share a seen post
• give a like or comment other posts
• get information from people and experts you follow
• search for a solution of a problem

It is about creating added value: What is helpful for others to achieve their goals? What do I have to or want to share, what do I keep to myself?

 

3) Filter your information and social media channels

You don’t have to follow everyone and consume every information. Use apps, tools, follow experts or be in social media communities that support you to achieve your personal goals. For everything else you should have the courage to delete – for example subscriptions to newsletters or apps on your smartphone.  If you follow the right experts, they will take over the task of prefiltering the relevant information for you.

 

4) Don’t check email all the time

The most difficult thing for most people is not to check their emails all the time. They feel pressure to reply emails immediately and they see this as a good behaviour and good service.

The fact is that email is the number one distraction factor. Companies should take this into account and let employees decide to switch off their email for a certain period of time.

 

5) Strictly separate online research and offline work

Identify the most important task of the day and do it first in the morning – before you check social media channels, the enterprise social network or emails. This gives you a good feeling and motivates you for the rest of the day.

Divide larger tasks into smaller tasks that you can concentrate on.

The focus should always be on one task. A task should be completed before the next task is started. Also turn off notifications from tools and social media for the time you are working on a task. Online research and offline work should be strictly separated to avoid distraction from being online.

 

6) Establish a morning routine

Establishing a morning routine has nothing to do with online and tools. However, a morning routine helps a lot to focus on the day. It is up to you to decide waht to do in your personal morning routine – some do sports, other meditate or practice gratitude. Checking emails or social media should not be the first task in the morning.

Define three tasks that must be completed on that day. In the evening, reflect what helped you to complete these tasks or what prevented you from completing them. Then you can improve yourself every day.

 

Conclusion

Social media or an enterprise social network are not the cause of distraction or loss of concentration. Employees need to learn how to deal with information overload, social media and tools consciously . Then they have a clear added value in their daily work.