All The Productivity Is Killing Us.

This is not a news flash.

If you’re even remotely clued in, you already know this to be true.

For all of our productivity tips, tricks, and hacks, we are more attention-deficient than ever before.

Right now on my iDevice, I have a plethora of productivity picks. I have a native app for regular text messaging, an app for in-office text messaging / calling, a secure app for messaging some of our overseas personnel, an app that sends me messages regarding my 14 year old’s ultimate frisbee team’s news, and an app that allows me to communicate on the fly with our weekend tech teams. That’s not counting the options for Facebook messaging, Twitter DMs, blog comments, task reminders, and emails.

(Oh, and I can apparently make calls on my phone, as well.)

One input can create a dizzying array of outputs. A single phone call can set off an cacophony of phone dings and buzzes, laptop screen pop-ups and alerts, and any number of other jarring interruptions to an otherwise semi-peaceful morning. It’s as if we’re living in the futuristic world of Ryan the temp, and WUPHF has arrived.

I don’t need to share the statistics on this. You already know that it takes us – on average – 25 minutes to recover from a digital interruption. You no doubt feel the pressure of the non-stop need to be wired in.

Here’s the question: what are you doing about it?

What are you doing to get above the fray? To quiet the noise? To achieve an intense focus that actually allows you to get some work accomplished and get out in front?

All of the communication options in the world does us little good if we’ve lost the margin to lead and love those who really need us to be in communication with them.

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