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	Monday, August 23, 2004

Learning to Switch on, Switch Off at light Speed I am what you would call a connected person.  I have two offices, both with connected desktop computers. When I travel, I bring along a notebook computer which is used for long mails in the evenings, a PDA which can also access email easily through wireless hotspots, and a cell phone which can access my email through GPRS.  Of course, in addition, in our part of the world, I get dozens of short text messages in the cell phone too.Hardly a day pass when I don't check my emails multiple times, even weekends, and even on travel and vacation.  Many of my colleagues, friends, and customers have my cell phone, and I encourage them to call. People tell me I should get a life.  I HAVE a life, and enjoy it.  Many people are increasingly defining having a life as being disconnected, and not being reached or bothered.  I don't.  I travel, I enjoy sights and places.  Whenever I am on a resort, I tell myself it would not have all been possible if I was NOT connected -- in short, instead of blaming having so much work with so much interruption, I blessed myself I would never have been able to travel without all these wonderful gadgets. We are in a world that is fast changing, where things can radically change in days.  WE have to stop lamenting for all the good old days when you can live off a product or an economic cycle for months or years. Or have 5 uninterrupted days of pure leisure. The old dial up internet was no good not only because it takes so many seconds to switch and connect.  The newer DSL is good not only because of its speed, but because it can connect and disconnect  instantaneously.  I see the skill of being able to switch from leisure mode 1 to business task 1 and back to leisure mode 1 in seconds as an important factor in being happy.  If you are being interrupted, don't let it ruin your day.  Switch on, take the task, and then switch off.  Till the next interruption.... 9:16:42 AM     comment []   trackback []