Digital Disease Part Two

From my very whiney article in the last edition, I thought it will be good to do a follow up for those that might be concerned with my mental health status. I am Fine.

“I am fine” – this turns out to be the root of the problem, we all use this phrase probably once an hour and sure it is a disguised pleasantry used in conversations over the phone. But it boils down to honesty and if you are fine, are you trying to convince yourself or the telemarketer person on the other end of the line. I am not saying tell every person how you feel at that point in time, just be honest with yourself.

Turns out that there is not any app or magic calendar that will guide you through the busyness of our new lives, just an old principle that is still applicable today and often forgotten. 80/20. Spend 80% of your time on 20% that is most rewarding. It is applicable in life and business and can really help set the focus on what you need to be doing, and help you not fret the little things. In your personal life you will have to find a way to identify the 20% because it is more abstract than working out year to date sales. Let your own happiness guide you here because there is no gauge for this.

In business it is easier, work out the profit per client and product or service, see where you make the most and focus on that. You might also find that those clients, products, and services also has less problems in dealing with.

There is also this brand-new word I am starting use; it is quite powerful and would like to make it my mantra. No. Sometimes I wish I could use that as a complete sentence, not there yet. I have diplomatic urge to help everyone I am dealing with. Saying no is hard for us self employed people you need to jump at every opportunity you get so it becomes habit to agree, and just give into the 80%’s demands because you need their business.  It is wasteful, fruitless, and tiring. Identify that 20% that is going to be most rewarding and keep them happy, the rest of the time, help yourself.

I am still ignoring my phone calls, but I do not feel bad about it anymore, I am phoning more of them back, which is progress, I guess. Only the 20% though. The rest will comment that I am hard to get hold of or that I must be a busy man, I just say, “yes I am how can I help you now” and do not offer any excuses anymore. This has helped me spending less time on the phone, also opting to use different communication methods with certain people, mix it up a bit.

Some I will SMS, others Whatsapp. I will email some people and phone from my mobile phone and others from my office phone. Not sending mail via the post office yet, will try that next with some the 80% people. Mixing it up helped me get over the phone anxiety a little bit.

Social media, I have decided to not follow negative feeds, that is it, simple. I will start down a tweet that interested me and if I see the first comment, I do not agree with I exit and go look at something else. Not interested in the opinions of all the people that has opinions on everything anymore. All these people do is burp out some ridiculous statement, wait for a reaction and then defend themselves with furious thumbs. Believe me this is in all our 80%’s. Just move on, throw it in the “not important” column and carry on.

Do not look for your digital salvation in more digital things, the answers are not there. Be honest with yourself and have an introspective look at the aspects that truly makes you feel good personally, do the same with business and build your 80/20 list. Stick to it. Make clear decisions on how to attack your anxieties over social media and our digital world. By penning this set of articles helped me attack some of my problems and I hope you find your help. So that one day we can all answer the phone and honestly say, “I am fine, how are you?”