Why technology doesn’t always save you time

March 12, 2014 by lauramariewatts 1 Comment

William Penn once said, “Time is what we want the most but we use the worst.”

So how you do get more time? Well, the short answer is you can’t. There are only so many hours in the day but what you can do is use your time more wisely and productively. As my Dad always says, “Don’t work harder, work smarter!”

Now, I will be the first to admit there are some great uses of technology to save time. My iPhone, for example, is great as a small business owner because I can get back to potential clients quickly and easily without having to lug a laptop around with me. There are also a host of great apps that can help keep us organized.

However, here are a few technology time wasters that could be draining your time quicker than you can say, “How is it midnight already?”

#1 The social media suck

So you think to yourself, oh i’m just going to check my Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest  feed quickly and by the time you have gone through, replied to some messages and made a few posts two hours has flown by in a flash. The allure of social media is even stronger if you have a smartphone where messages can be sent and answered instantaneously. Be wary of spending too much time and be sure to block out specific times in your daily calendar for social media use.

#2 Sending ten emails or text messages instead of making a phone call

I know I have been guilty of this as well but picking up the phone is sometimes the quickest option to get the answers you need. We have become so used to texting and typing that we don’t consider doing this. I do think that both have their place but with longer or more complex conversations it might be best to go old school in order to save time not to mention your wrists. As an added benefit, speaking to someone on the phone gives you a chance to connect with someone in a way that smiley faces and emoticons simply can’t compare to. Ever been texting someone and wondering, “Hmm, was that a sarcastic comment or not?”

#3 GPS Systems

I think GPS’s are a great invention but I often think the route they choose is not always the fastest option. I have gone down enough gravel roads when there is a paved road nearby to know this to be true. Look at a map ahead of time, even if it’s on your phone or iPad, and know where you are going before you leave the house. You could even save yourself a accident in the process. Distracted driving is on the rise so why don’t we spent the fifteen minutes before we leave looking at a map, instead of looking at our Facebook page instead.

#5 Wearing a watch instead of using your cell phone to tell the time

I recently bought myself a new watch. I don’t know about you but I keep my phone in my purse. If I don’t wear a watch I have to rummage in my purse for my phone before I can find out the time while wearing a watch is just a simple turn of the wrist. As you can imagine, being an organizer, time is very important to me so when I don’t know what time it is I am lost. Is wearing a watch going to save you tons of time, in the grand scheme of things probably not much, but if you are the unorganized sort and don’t know where your phone is at least a watch is attached to you.

Happy organizing!
Laura