Tag: Distractions

Keeping Your IM’s Separate

Nowadays IM’s are showing up just about everywhere.  The question is do you really want it to?

You can end up with an IM in your email (Gtalk in Gmail) and in your social networking (Facebook) and even while you are using another IM tool (Jabber).

Do we really need all of this connection?  It leads to a chronic form of distraction.  A kind that keeps you from getting any kind of real work done.

Don’t get me wrong.  An IM can be a great productivity tool, just like a cell phone.  Like a phone there is a time and a place to turn it off.  Otherwise everything that you try to do will be endlessly distracted.  A 30 minute task could end up taking you 2 hours.

Maybe, we should learn to turn off the constant chatter and just focus.

Nixing IM Distractions

IM’s can be a great communication and productivity tool.  Like any good thing however, too much can be a problem.  When you really need to concentrate here are some thoughts on managing your IM.

An IM you use for communications with clients or co workers if, during business hours you need to focus on a task set a period of time.  For example, 1 hour.  State that time length on your away message.

An IM client that is used for general business communications.

When your business IM does not have a specific purpose you should fee free to put on your away message as you need.

A personal IM

Just turn it off.  Your friends can wait for awhile.