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Diagnosis: Dreaded Digital Depression

Are you feeling tortured by technology? Overwhelmed by e-mail, voice mail, cell phones, pagers?

Now there's a term for the ailment thanks to Dan Stamp, founder and chairman of Priority Management, a 17-year-old training company based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

You might be suffering from "digital depression," says Stamp, who has identified five symptoms.

• Stressed by accessibility: Inability to unplug from being constantly available by cell phone, pager or the latest wireless device.

• Insecurity due to digital Darwinism: Feeling that only those who master every program, every upgrade and every gadget will survive.

• Continuous partial attention: Inability to concentrate on one task until completion because of 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week demands.

• Victim of device creep: Feeling pressure to acquire the newest wireless cell phone or other gadget, regardless of whether it improves productivity.

• Cognitive interruptus: A state of permanent interruption from the phone, pager or e-mail alarm that keeps you from a daily plan.

In the rush to keep up with technology, Stamp said, people forget basic skills such as managing priorities, setting goals and delegating.

The treatment: Schedule time to unplug from the job; invest in new skills training just as you would in software or hardware; always consider cost vs. benefit and the return on the investment before buying new technology; and identify priorities every day, then stick to the plan.

Caset Selix
Staff Writer, Pioneer Planet
Wednesday, June 13, 2001