Working the Low Tech Way

They say you can’t take it with you. They’re wrong. You can take it with you. It’s the future! We take our work with us on our laptops and work from anywhere, even the park, surrounded by cute woodland creatures who frolick in the grass as we luxuriate in the freedom and productivity of our futuristic lifestyle.

We can use portable electronic devices for truly revolutionary tasks: They can transmit documents, send text messages, snap pictures of important news stories, and create a web of knowledge that puts the Library of Alexandria to shame. We should be walking around more productive than ever, getting stuff done at an unprecedented rate. But we’re not.

Instead, we’re sending cat pictures, reading rumors about Justin Bieber’s impending emotional implosion, and writing status updates about our digestive system’s reaction to the sloppy joe we just ate for lunch. Our productivity software is helpfully full of ads, and even the most serious documents are hyperlinked to blog posts promising to reveal 8 Reasons Kim Kardashian Should Wax Her Nose Hairs. Technology has made us reactive, scattered, and distracted. And we are. The most common thing people tell me is that they’re distracted, overwhelmed, and can’t find the time or space to focus. Yay, technology!

We need to turn our technology back into a productivity tool. But how?

Dropbox Saves the Day

A few months ago, I was raving to a friend about Dropbox. “It’s this amazing tool that lets me keep my laptop and desktop in sync. How did I ever live without it?” Then I realized most of my life was spent without Dropbox. I took my work with me without Dropbox. How was that possible? How could I be so productive without Dropbox? What was my secret?

Did I have a more expensive laptop? Better WiFi? Speedier web browsers? Actually, no. I had a spiral notebook, a .5mm Pilot “Shaker” mechanical pencil, and Staedtler plastic eraser. And yet I got everything done, no matter where I was.

It’s true, I didn’t have access to email, or the web, or Facebook, but when I really think about it, those are the sources of distraction, reactivity, and chaos. When it comes to what I needed for my job, it was low-tech all the way.

Plan Ahead

You see, unlike my laptop, my backpack had severely limited capacity. So each morning, I had to look over my to-do list and my calendar and consciously decide my priorities. “Today, I want to work on the Quicken credit card, writing performance reviews for my team, and learning C++.” Then I would grab my notebook for writing out code, my performance review notebook, and my C++ manual, pop them into my backpack, and off I’d go to the park.

Paradoxically, the fact that my laptop can be used to work on anything makes me much sloppier in my prioritizing. When I was forced to make decisions each day, I was better at focusing on what’s important.

Bring Reference Material

Not only would I bring along the tools for my projects, I’d bring along reference material. If I were working on performance reviews, I’d have to decide what I needed to do a good job. If my team members had 360-degree reviews, notes from conversations we’d had, and lists of modules they had worked on, I’d find and bring the relevant information.

Paradoxically, the fact that my laptop can hold 500 GB of information and access the entire human race’s knowledge base makes me much sloppier in my decision-making. When I was forced to choose and bring reference material each day, I was better at identifying what information I needed and knowing in advance how I intended to use it to get work done.

Write on Paper

One of the most controversial things I did back then was write on paper. Even as a programmer, I wrote my code longhand and then typed it in. Transcribing forced me to think about it again as I typed. I often caught bugs while transcribing.

The same is often true when writing prose. I don’t write every word; I write an outline and notes on each paragraph. When typing it in, I review my logic.

Interestingly, the fact that my laptop lets me cut and paste while writing makes me a sloppier writer. When I was forced to think before committing pencil to paper, my results were tighter and more coherent, even if I ultimately used my computer to type the final version.

Print and Respond to Email

As for email, I’d print out just the important ones. In the park, I’d jot notes about my responses. Back at my desk, I’d respond to all the emails at once.

“Oh my golly gosh darn,” you cry, “what a waste of paper!!” Compared to your laptop? Your laptop manufacture and shipping generated more industrial waste and environmental damage than all the excess paper you’ll every use printing out your important emails. If you’re really worried, save paper by printing double-sided, two pages per sheet of paper, in “draft” mode.

Go Paper for a Day

Today’s tip is to try it the old fashioned way, just for a day. Declare a non-technology day and do it the old fashioned way. Prioritize in the morning, bring just the materials you need to do your job, and spend the day working somewhere nurturing and fun—but without even the possibility of technology distracting you. You’ll work less and do more, not because technology is speeding you up, but because lack of technology is slowing you down and giving you space to think.

This is Stever Robbins. I’m an executive coach, and what makes me unique is how I align strategy and details, help you think outside the box, and bring a cross-functional, cross-disciplinary approach. If you want to know more, visit Stever Robbins.

Work Less, Do More, and have a Great Life!

Notebook and Pencil image from Shutterstock