Technology: Best Friend or Worst Enemy

Technology—Best friend or worst enemy: avoiding digital overload

I recall in 1980 when I started my internship, the annoying sound of my screeching pager that caused me to jump out of my call room bed. I’d run to the phone to see what urgent message or task awaited. When I was off call, I was relieved to be free from this intrusion on my serenity. I viewed my time away from my pager in a similar way to the traditional Wednesday morning golf game of the physicians of yore—a chance to relax and refresh.

As time moved on, pagers became more sophisticated and omnipresent. There were voice pagers and text pagers, all with an array of options. I remember my first cell phone. It was like a large walkie talkie. I thought it was great. I could take my kids to the park and answer a page without having to run to find a pay phone. And then cell phones got smaller, with more functions: text, e-mail, reference and calendars. You could be reached anytime, anywhere and have almost any feature available in your pocket, at your fingertips.

Parallel to the pager and the cell phone boom, fax machines became a common way to transmit information and the internet became the rule. I remember thinking how amazing it seemed to send information through the airwaves to a screen or a piece paper. We were able to receive and send information remotely 24 hours of the day. What has all this meant to me as a physician and an officer of the Medical Staff?

Technology has facilitated my ability to function in my leadership role while still keeping up with an active practice. Clinically it is easy to get lab results, contact colleagues while referencing clinical guidelines and information. In addition to accessing materials at a whim, I can be found at anytime, in any place. I can do my presidential work even at midnight, as evidenced by my late night e-mails.

All of this may seem like an improvement, but there is also a down side. The anytime, any place mentality removes all boundaries between work and leisure. The risk is that work takes over. We can end up with not only over-work but also digital overload. We need to remember to find time to re-energize, shut off the digital world and be present in what we are doing in the current moment. We need balance to avoid burnout. Take a moment to talk face-to-face with someone who matters. Take a walk together or just sit quietly in meditation. In doing so, your life will be more satisfying, energizing and fulfilling.