Put down that iPhone, stop and smell the roses

I’ve been paying particular attention to bus riders in Seattle. I’ve notice a growing trend of smart phone addicts. We’re still children, holding onto our Starbucks coffee (our adult sippy cup) and grasping our smart phones inches from our face (our toy). The weather in Seattle is amazing in September. This is when summer starts and the views onto the lake and sound is breath taking. Yet nearly 1/3 of the riders on the bus live in a world dictated by a 3.5″ screen.

Social media has made us less “social” and smart phones have made us less “smart.”

While at my optometrist appointment for my annual eye exam, she asked how much time do I spend in front of a computer a day. That number for me lately has gone down from 16 hours a day to about 6. In fact, most of my work day is on paper (sorry Captain Planet) and whiteboards. I’ve matured to the point where most of the design and planning is done offline and the execution is done later.

As I spend less time in front of my 3.5″ smart phone and 15″ laptop, I find myself getting more done and less focused on busy work.

Here are a few other changes I’ve made:

1. Forget about organizing emails into folders and tagging – use search to find things later.
2. Inbox zero is a waste of time – check email periodically and do something about it, or flag it for attention later.
3. Carry a paper notebook around, take notes, and review it daily.
4. Doodle more.