Distractions and technology

Nothing new here, really. Having devices that ping and chime and ring and buzz when a new bit of information is arriving is pretty distracting. The NYT is on the story:

Neil Erickson of Akron, Ohio, blames his lack of focus on his cellphone. “It’s distracting, but you never know if something is going to be important,” he said in a follow-up interview. Mr. Erickson, who is 28 and studying computer engineering, added, “I suppose I could cut down on checking e-mail and phone use, but I probably won’t.”

It is really technology's fault, though, that (according to the article) 40% of us check our work email while on vacation?** Frankly, that number seems low to me. Thinking further about what constitutes distraction, if you're focusing on work on vacation, does that mean that you're drinking a Corona on the beach, or you're holed up in your Wifi-d cabana? There's a difference, too, between surfing for fun or playing games vs. doing work.

In the case of the latter context, I don't think most of us would choose to be on call 24/7 unless we felt we had to. Unfortunately, given the decimation of the social safety nets, of secure jobs and of real wages, most of us have to sell our souls (or a good chunk of them) to The Guy With the Wallet.

** disclosure: I'm on vacation right now. Is this work? Do I enjoy it? Do I sometimes start reading an article to cite and get pulled down the rabbit hole and come to half an hour later knowing everything and more about Gary Coleman's life and how Garnett rates the Celtics' chances in Game 4? You betcha.