By Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D. and
Michelle M. Weil, Ph.D. (BIOGRAPHIES)
1/25/99

early 20 years ago, when we began to assess peoples' reactions to technology, life was simple. In those days technology was magic. Today, life is much more complicated. Not only have computers entered the home (33-40% in Canada, the UK, and the U.S., 6% in the city of Beijing, 20% in Japan, and a full 52% in Sweden), but all of us are surrounded by computer technology, with new gadgets appearing daily.

We believe in technology, but we also believe in staying the driver, not the "driven." To this end, we recently published "TechnoStress: Coping With Technology @Work @Home @Play".

Since the book's publication, we have been delivering keynote speeches to organizations and corporations around the world [www.technostress.com/TSRecentSpeeches.htm]. Techno-professionals and laymen alike exhibit a strong interest in living compatibly with the intrusive manifestations of technology. As the millennium approaches, and technology multiplies, our message is more important than ever. "Take a stand against your own TechnoStress." The following "Rules for Thriving in the New Millenium" will help put you back in the driver's seat:

Measure your technological competence by what you know, not by what you don't know.
There will always be more technology than there is time to learn. With the life of hardware or software dropping to 6-12 months, there is no way to learn new technology before it needs to be upgraded or replaced. As a computer professional, you have had years of training and even more years of "experience. " Don't let yourself fall into the trap of feeling that all you know is meaningless and the only important technology is that which you have not yet learned. What you know is already valuable and important, and will remain so forever. It also provides the building blocks for learning what is coming which keeps you at the forefront. Never underestimate the value of continually defining and marketing your skills and abilities to your organization ... many don't really understand what you do or why they need you.

Everyone in your organization is overwhelmed trying to keep up with their own jobs. It is unlikely that they know even a small percentage of what you know and what you do. And, with the world changing so rapidly, they will know less about you as your job (and theirs) changes. Help them learn what you do and what you know by telling them. Don't be afraid to market yourself to your bosses. Chances are they will be able to use the information to expand their view of you and your value to the company

Any question, no matter how simple, is important to the person who asked.
Those who love technology are usually called upon to teach others. Since you understand so much and you tend to get excited, talk rapidly and use lots of jargon and shortcuts. Remember, many people are hesitant or resistant to technology. If you listen carefully, their questions convey how they are feeling as well as the nature of their confusion. Your calm, patient and understanding answers can change those feelings, and you increase your value to the organization by adopting this style

Technology is best learned in small bytes
An hour or two of instruction is the most that many users can tolerate and still be capable of attending and learning. Couple this instruction with hands-on practice and encourage the users to "Play" with the technology. This builds confidence and success. Contact us for further information on organizational consultation on effective training strategies.

Remember, educating end users and decision makers is a continual process.
You are the expert. Teach managers and end users about technology before it is implemented. This is a critical feature of the 12-phase model that we introduced in "TechnoStress." The model begins by discussing future possible technologies with those who must make the decision and those who will be expected to use them. Teach them about what the technology can do to make their lives easier and more productive. Be responsive to their needs and realize that training is an ongoing process.

It is important to educate decision makers about allocating resources for staff, training and continued support.
Ongoing support is critical in implementing any technology. And support requires money. Make sure that your allocated funds provide for initial needs assessment, pretesting both the software's functionality and the staff's readiness, designing an effective training program, training staff and providing follow-up and continual support (e.g., help desk, online tutorials, outsourced support). Assist hesitant users in overcoming their resistance before teaching the nuts and bolts.

Beware of being victimized by "Multitasking Madness" - maintain your focus on priorities and allow yourself time to complete each task before moving on.
Computers are marvelous multitasking machines. Humans are, too ... up to a point. Sure, it is easy to click on an icon and jump from reading a document to checking your e-mail to surfing the web and back to the document. Unfortunately, the more we multitask, the more we ask our brain to juggle. The more our brain manages to hold, the less efficient we become on any one task. Many people have reported to us that they are having difficulty sleeping peacefully throughout the night, wakening often with thoughts of incomplete projects or forgotten ideas. Whenever possible, practice focusing on only one task at a time. Turn off the other computer windows, turn your clock to the wall and turn off the phone/fax/pager/cell phone ringers. Give yourself time to do your best, uninterrupted. For more information on Multitasking Madness, see Context Magazine.

Spend time away from technology. It helps maintain your sanity and perspective.
It is harder than ever to stay healthy, calm and sane in our rapidly changing technological world. Technology invades our personal space needs with intrusive sights and sounds. Hear that fax machine or your e-mail beep and your focus is interrupted. Seeing your computer or phone reminds you of tasks unfinished. All these technologies carry with them strong urges to perform. You can counteract their omnipresent power by taking time away from them. This doesn't mean that you have to vacation in the woods with only a propane stove for company. It just warns that you have to schedule time away from your technology. Even an hour is a good start. Go see a movie, spend a night away from home, and leave technology behind. Practice being unreachable on occasion. Reconnect with yourself, your friends, family, and loved ones and you will feel better, and be able to work more productively.

As the Club Med's advertising tag line, "The Antidote for Civilization," implies, civilization and its attendant technologies create a disease that infects our minds and bodies. For a fuller understanding of the problem and the steps you can take to cure it, read TechnoStress.