Thursday, July 31, 1997

Use the technology, don't let it use you

By CAROL KLEIMAN / Chicago Tribune

"Use the technology. Don't let it use you."

That's the advice of Debra Chomicka, career development director at Alverno College in Milwaukee.

What she's referring to are beepers, cellular phones, laptop computers with modems and sophisticated answering machines. "They can be toxic to your well-being," says Chomicka. "Constant interruptions are making life miserable for many American workers."

Her comments echo complaints I get from readers who say because of new communication devices, they're constantly on call.

How do you control this situation without jeopardizing your professional advancement? Chomicka says the first thing is to "establish boundaries. It's necessary to limit how often and when you want to be called, beeped or contacted."

Here's how to do it, according to the career counselor, without making your bosses think you're trying to avoid work:

1. Keep a record for one month of the nature of the calls you've received during non-regular work hours.

2. Point out to your manager the calls that didn't have to be handled immediately.

3. Discuss upfront if it really is important for you always to be on call or if there is some leeway in your availability.

4. If you still are expected to be available 24 hours a day, use that expectation as a trade-off for something else you want. Prepare a list of options to consider.

Inside information: It took me a few hours to locate Chomicka to get her important insights into the problems created by the new technology. She doesn't carry a pager.