This is a one way ticket…

Did you know, 90% of the worlds data was created in the last 2 years?  In fact, in 1998, the internet exceeded the capacity of the human brain and by 2025 it will exceed the capacity of humanity.

And we can look at 3 digital accelerators—Moore’s Law, bandwidth and storage as a way of explaining the increase in our rate and pace of change. And all that is all true, but I would say hold on, not so fast.

Stop and think about your phone or software.  If you owned an Apple 2, 3 or 4 and now have a 5, 6 or 7 would you consider going back to the previous version? 

No, you only go forward.

If you have used Windows 4, 5, 6 and now use 7, 8, 9, 10 the same question applies.  Would you go back?  Probably not, you go forward.  But now ask yourself how many of the tasks you are using?  I find this fascinating, in Windows 10, there are 4000 task “shortcuts” or commands. Studies show that most people use only 10-15 tasks and one of the most common questions is how to get back to the “classic view.”

Here’s the sticky wicket – we are on this journey with a one-way ticket to faster.

And every day we are making choices that require leadership to manage the consequences.  Technology enables us to live life differently and provides equalized access to everyone.  Let’s face it, it also increases our stress, adds tension, deteriorates our sustained attention span.  Think about this – in 1998, your average attention span was 12 minutes.  Today – it’s down to 5 minutes and our focused attention span has also decreased, from 12 to 8 seconds since 2000.  We’ve got to know that this interferes with our ability to be in the moment to build relationships and experience life.

So on this one way ticket to faster, are you leading your life to keep technology as an enabler in your life?  Or are you becoming a slave to technology that robs you from the richness of living your life to the fullest?  Afterall it is a choice.  The first step is becoming aware of how technology impacts your life experience.  The next is deciding to put technology in the right place.  It absolutely takes discipline and practice for sure, but the results are life changing.   Try telling your team – no phones in the staff meeting, or your family-no phones at dinner or on Sunday. Try it for a month and see what happens to the focus.

How are you doing on your approach to life with technology?  How are you managing your technology so that it doesn’t become the boss of you?