Technology can help you streamline your business, but it can also create chaos.
Tech-based stress can slow down, if not completely stall, your business. When not managed it can kill productivity, confuse goals and complicate business processes.
In this fast-paced world, using tech is often a must. But what can you do to stop the chaos that comes from it?
“Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.”
Look, I get it. I’ve been there. Most of us have.
But we’ve learned how to take control of our tech, even if it doesn’t come naturally. And once we take control, we see things start to shift.
Imagine your business beginning to thrive where before it struggled. Imagine having a successful business you are proud of, that you can’t wait to tell your family and friends about with enthusiasm and excitement.
That’s what properly managed tech can do for you.
“Let’s go invent tomorrow instead of worrying about what happened yesterday.”
So let’s look at 5 simple things you can do today that will take you from tech headaches to tech freedom!
Try This:
ONE: Notice the issues. The first step is to realize how much you depend on technology and determine what – exactly – is causing the stress.
Pay attention to where you are feeling the stress. What about technology is stressing you out. After all, if you don’t know what’s causing it, you probably can’t fix it.
TWO: Make a list of your tech tools. Once you’ve realized that tech stress is an issue, making a list of all the tools you use can help you regain control.
A lot of times we have duplicates of tools, which means we are doing twice the work and our tech is doing half the work. That’s totally backwards! A tech inventory can help you flip that back around.
THREE: Clean up your connections. Go through all of your social media accounts and inboxes to disconnect with people who create additional stress.
Ok, I admit, this isn’t directly related to your business processes. But it does have an impact. We all have people we keep in contact with, or leave on our profiles, for one reason or another. Even though we don’t interact much and/or they irritate us every time we do.
Now is the time to clean that up. Trust me, it will make a difference!
“Innovation is the outcome of a habit, not a random act.”
FOUR: Make a plan. Use your list to focus only on the devices and tools that are essential.
Now that you’ve done the first 5 things it’s time to get intentional about this. Make a plan on how you will use technology to your benefit moving forward.
What will you do now to make sure that you remain in control of your technology and chaos doesn’t take hold again?
FIVE: Create reasonable expectations. If you are constantly in your email and reacting to other tech based notifications, it will take longer to take control of the chaos than it would if you only checked it a couple times a day.
Set realistic expectations, have grace with yourself, and understand you won’t do a 180 overnight. It would be nice, but so would waking up a million dollars in your band that just appeared there.
Both are about as likely. So set realistic expectations and you will be happier when you are able to reach them.
“Technology should improve your life… not become your life.”
Stress can come from many parts of your life, including technology. Pay attention to how technology affects you.
If you notice yourself getting stressed out everytime you think about tech, it might be time to cut back on it.
If the mere thought of your software systems make you start cursing technology in general and you notice you dread working with it, it’s probably worth considering hiring that out.
If you get confused and overwhelmed by the chaos surrounding your tech, get a coach to talk you through the goals and processes you’re using.
Remember, tech is designed to make your life easier. Not more chaotic.
And it is a reflection of us. Not the other way around.
If you’re ready to get control of your tech chaos now download our Control the Chaos Workbook to take charge and make tech work for you, not against you!
