Ecommerce Information

Overcoming Frustration with Technology


For whatever reason, when we get a new boost in productivity, whether that be from a tool, technology or technique...we quickly forget how much more efficient it's made us. It's human nature. It's like the commuter who gets angry about how bad traffic is, but forgets what a pain it was to wait for the bus. Or the cell phone user who complains about a bad connection, and forgets about the days when he had to fish for spare change to make a call from a pay phone.

It's much the same with technology.

If your plan for your online business is in a long term one, there's no getting around it: You will have to find a way to overcome the frustrations you will have with technology. It's inevitable.

Here are some simple tips for dealing with the frustration

Slow down.

Let's start with an analogy: When you're driving a car at 100 miles per hour, a small thing like a bumblebee hitting the windshield can cause you to lose control and crash. How does this translate to online frustration?

When you're straining your systems and technology to work faster and better for you, the smallest technical glitch can have a bigger impact on your performance than seems logical. That's because you are pushing for "more, faster and better" in the first place.

The solution is to slow down. What this means for you as a carbon-based being is: take a stretch break, breathe a couple deep breaths and generally loosen up. Lighten your grip on the intensity you are trying to sustain, both for yourself and your systems.

Concretely, this may mean taking care of your email just a little bit slower. Typing not quite as fast. Or giving yourself an extra hour to set up your new audio recorder. The extra time spent is worth it if it means you don't have to clean up a tangle later. This may seem counterproductive, but it gives your tools time to do their work for you. Sometimes you have to slow down to get to your destination sooner.

Change channels.

Online frustration is something most people experience from time to time, and this includes your suppliers or contractors. If you have a virtual assistant, you likely know this first hand. The next time you, a colleague or assistant experiences frustration with technology, suggest they "change channels". This means exactly what you think it means, that is, switch tasks.

If your technology is acting up, try switching to an activity that comes naturally to you before going back to solve the problem. There's no point forcing something to work when it is resisting you. Go where the energy is flowing by changing channels.

"Remember when."

Yes, a little reminiscing can be the perfect medicine when you're struggling with technology. As you try to set up your email account for the 12th time, consider the fact that just 10 years ago, thousands of small business owners did not have email, and did all their correspondence by mail, telephone or fax. Do you remember your "mail inbox" in the last office you worked in? How about letter openers, overflowing voicemail boxes or wet sponges to seal piles of envelopes? Remember when we used to get paper cuts on a regular basis?

With the increasing growth of the personal development movement in the last 10 years, many of us have learned to become more self-aware and handle anger, frustration and other strong emotions with techniques such as meditation, journaling or even prayer.

But because the Internet is a new-ish modality, sometimes we forget to apply these relaxation techniques to handle "cyber" stress. The next time you have the technology blues, stop. Don't struggle. Instead, become child-like -- slow down and enjoy, play awhile, and laugh a little about the wonder of it all.

Andrea J. Lee coaches entrepreneurs and online business owners. As Thomas J.Leonard's General Manager, she helped build and manage the largest network and trainer of personal and business coaches in the world. Now the CEO of Andrea J. Lee Group of Companies, she writes, speaks and consults on Marketing, Internet and Business systems. For more helpful tips, visit www.39lessons.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Sabrix Inc. will boost the sales of e-commerce companies
Ecommerce Journal, MA - 11 hours ago
Sabrix Inc., a leader in transaction tax management for companies of all sizes offered its Sabrix Managed Tax Service (MTS) for multiple leading E-commerce ...


Leading Global Online Publishing Provider Chooses Autonomy to ...
MarketWatch - Nov 20, 2008
CAMBRIDGE, England and SAN FRANCISCO, California, November 20, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Autonomy Corporation plc (LSE: AU. or AU. ...


E-Commerce Cyber Monday Marketing Care Package
ECommerce-Guide, United States - 21 hours ago
To help, we're offering our Cyber Monday care package for e-commerce businesses that includes marketing tips, eBay specific strategies and resources for ...


Practical Ecommerce (subscription)

Cart of the Week: Sure Solutions’ Actinic Shopping Cart
Practical Ecommerce (subscription), Grand Junction - 50 minutes ago
Practical eCommerce counts over 300 different shopping cart platforms. In this, our “Cart Of The Week” feature, we’ll profile—but not evaluate—a specific ...


New iPerceptions Data Shows eCommerce Sites Fall Short For Consumers
MarketWatch - Nov 17, 2008
V:IPE), a leading provider of web-focused Voice of Customer analytics, today released new data that indicates that eCommerce and retail companies are ...
iPerceptions Achieves New Milestone for Free 4Q Survey Solution: 1 ... MarketWatch
all 19 news articles


iMergent Clarifies Results of Annual Meeting of Shareholders
WELT ONLINE, Germany - 15 hours ago
iMergent, Inc., (AMEX:IIG) a leading provider of eCommerce software for small businesses and entrepreneurs, conducted its 2008 annual shareholder meeting on ...


Web Design Agency in Nottingham Develops New eCommerce Pacakage
PR Web (press release), WA - Nov 20, 2008
WebCatch have just launched their new eCommerce Solution Demo which can be found on their website. With an extensive range of features as standard the ...


Greatland Selects MarketLive to Build Three New eCommerce Websites
MarketWatch - Nov 17, 2008
MarketLive's approach of partnering with its customers to build and manage successful eCommerce businesses was also an important consideration. ...


This Essential Report on China's eCommerce Market with Forecasts ...
MarketWatch - Nov 14, 2008
With the initiation of eCommerce in China, retail store owners have great many options to sell their products which are provided by manufacturers, ...


Leading Global Online Publishing Provider Chooses Autonomy to ...
International Business Times, NY - Nov 20, 2008
CAMBRIDGE, England and SAN FRANCISCO, California, November 20/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autonomy Corporation plc (LSE: AU. or AU. ...

Ecommerce - Google News

home | index |site map
© 2006