24 April 2007
"Crackberry" addicts tread a dangerous path, warns psychologist
Professor Graham Jones suggests BlackBerry afficionados risk becoming overly reliant on gadgets.
Last week, many BlackBerry users in the US lost their web and e-mail connectivity for a whole 10 hours. Some users complained of immense frustration. As mobile, wireless technology has enabled professionals to conduct business almost anywhere in the world while on the move, there are warning signs that our ability to stay permanently connected to our e-mail accounts and mobiles has turned us into a world of communication and "CrackBerry" addicts.
There are warning signs that our ability to stay permanently connected to our e-mail accounts and mobiles has turned us into a world of "CrackBerry" addicts.
The side-effects of advanced technology
In response to such changes in working practices, psychologist Professor
Graham Jones, a director at performance-development consultancy, Lane4,
issued some advice this week that we shouldn't become too reliant on
gadgets and PDAs. "The
virtual office has revolutionized the way we do business, but what about the
unwanted side effects when the line between business and pleasure becomes blurred?
Managers may have the luxury of being able to manage their workload whenever
wherever, but increasingly they're losing
their grip on a healthy work-life balance," he said.
Too busy to relax
Research undertaken
by not-for-profit organizational research and consultancy business, The
Work Foundation, in
2005 found that 30% of Britons are failing to take their annual
leave entitlement because they're too busy. "Managers need to set an example
of leaving on time and taking their holidays," said Professor Jones. "They
should also show they trust their staff
to get on with the job while they're away by giving them responsibility and
not phoning in to check up on them. Your
employees will thrive when they realize the results they can achieve
in your absence when they think like a team."
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