12 ways to mind your technology manners

In simpler days gone by, people used to operate within a defined set of rules regarding professional and private communication — rules which have largely fallen into disuse with the development of new technology. The line between public and private is now virtually non-existent in many cases, and we are forced into constant communication, and being available 24/7 which is not a healthy way to live.

Simply put, minding our technology manners can free up a lot of our time, and make us much more pleasant to be around. Using proper communication etiquette shows respect and consideration for others, and will allow you to plan your time more effectively so that you don’t feel constantly swamped by professional and private phone calls, text messages, social network updates, emails and instant messages all day and night.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in your technology world and miss the core values of respect and consideration for other people’s time and energy. Here are some simple, old school communication rules to adopt, which will make your digital life much easier to manage, and will also give others space to do the same:

1. Keep business and professional related communications within business hours i.e. 8am to 6pm at the latest. If you choose to work through until very late at night, that is your choice, but do not assume that everyone else does too. Respect your colleagues’ private lives and save your phone call, email or message as a draft to send the next day at an appropriate time. Sending work-related communication late at night doesn’t make you look dedicated, it makes you look like you don’t know how to manage your time.
2. Don’t call, text, message or email anyone after 9pm at night, when they may likely be trying to get some much needed sleep. Similarly, don’t bother people early in the morning before 8am either.
3. Don’t forget about timezone differences. It is not okay to call or message someone in the middle of the night in Australia, just because it is daylight hours in South Africa, especially not regarding business communications.
4. Don’t assume that, if you know someone who has a smartphone like a BlackBerry or iPhone with emails and push notification functionality, they are happy to hear from you all day and night and will have the time to respond immediately.
5. Try to respond to work related communications as soon as possible within working hours, but it is acceptable in most cases to leave a 48 hours time gap if you are very busy, without having to make excuses for not responding immediately. Allow your communication recipients the same courtesy.
6. Be strict about only engaging in work related communication during business hours, and personal communication outside of work. Tell your friends and family you are not available during certain times unless there is an emergency, and that is that.
7. Prioritise your calls and messages, especially the social ones, and make it clear that your job comes first and Facebook, Twitter, personal emails, and instant messages come second.
8. Often a good old fashioned phone call is the quickest and easiest way to make plans, instead of hundreds of back and forth messages.
9. Put your mobile phone on a silent or vibrate only setting when you are in a public place, especially in an open-plan office, theatre or movie theatre, doctor’s rooms and other important meetings and ignore it. If you answer your phone in public, talk quietly.
10. Turn your phone and laptop off if you go into a business meeting, unless you need them for something specific to do with that meeting. Having them on and fiddling with them makes you look disconnected and distracted, not important and busy.
11. Never, ever talk to someone on the phone, and someone in front of you at the same time. Give one or the other your full attention. Similarly, if someone approaches you to talk and you are busy on your laptop, either close it or put it aside while you have your conversation and give them your full attention.
12. Single task when you are interacting with live people. Resist the temptation to check email, surf the web, read a text or instant message, answer a phone call or update your status. People deserve your full attention, so don’t be rude.