Comments on: NY Times Article: $650B loss in productivity due to social tools http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html Apps, Strategies, and Best Practices for Web-based work Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:56:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: You’ll Get My Report After I Water My Virtual Crops | Social Media Q&A http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html/comment-page-1#comment-57524 You’ll Get My Report After I Water My Virtual Crops | Social Media Q&A Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:41:45 +0000 http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html#comment-57524 [...] August 2008 — just 2 years ago — the New York Times, published an article that projected Americans lost $650 billion in productivity by using social networks. Now, [...] [...] August 2008 — just 2 years ago — the New York Times, published an article that projected Americans lost $650 billion in productivity by using social networks. Now, [...]

]]> By: Americans Increase Social Networking Use by 43% in 2010 « Being Social About Social Media Jobs http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html/comment-page-1#comment-56737 Americans Increase Social Networking Use by 43% in 2010 « Being Social About Social Media Jobs Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:04:33 +0000 http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html#comment-56737 [...] August 2008 — just 2 years ago — the New York Times, published an article that projected Americans lost $650 billion in productivity by using social networks. Now, [...] [...] August 2008 — just 2 years ago — the New York Times, published an article that projected Americans lost $650 billion in productivity by using social networks. Now, [...]

]]> By: Nick http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html/comment-page-1#comment-53834 Nick Fri, 16 Apr 2010 02:49:51 +0000 http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html#comment-53834 I like your examples at the end. They all seem to prove the point that all this things which distract us are some how essential. It's hard to say no to them, but we can at least become aware. This is why I created a tool called <a href="http://www.ifocusonwork.com" rel="nofollow">iFocus</a>. Freedom's Windows version is out, but it's not free, so this is an alternative everyone should consider. You can use it to track how you spend your computer time, and set goals for how much you can use certain things (email, chat, games etc.). You can also make it force you to work on a specific application for a fixed period of time. Basically a tool for procrastinators or people who are mindful of how they spend their computer time. Good luck everyone. I like your examples at the end. They all seem to prove the point that all this things which distract us are some how essential. It’s hard to say no to them, but we can at least become aware.

This is why I created a tool called iFocus. Freedom’s Windows version is out, but it’s not free, so this is an alternative everyone should consider. You can use it to track how you spend your computer time, and set goals for how much you can use certain things (email, chat, games etc.). You can also make it force you to work on a specific application for a fixed period of time. Basically a tool for procrastinators or people who are mindful of how they spend their computer time.

Good luck everyone.

]]> By: Increase your productivity: stop thinking | The Journal Blog http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html/comment-page-1#comment-7794 Increase your productivity: stop thinking | The Journal Blog Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:33:08 +0000 http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html#comment-7794 [...] doing a bit of blog-to-blog cruising, I came across this very interesting post over at the AppGap — which is a pretty interesting place itself. It describes itself thusly: [...] [...] doing a bit of blog-to-blog cruising, I came across this very interesting post over at the AppGap — which is a pretty interesting place itself. It describes itself thusly: [...]

]]> By: Asad Quraishi http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html/comment-page-1#comment-7597 Asad Quraishi Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:37:13 +0000 http://www.theappgap.com/ny-times-article-650b-loss-in-productivity-due-to-social-tools.html#comment-7597 Whether reflective thinking matters? That's a pretty radical point of view. While the western world is characterized more by its ready-fire-aim (Peter Senge) approach than the eastern world, global economic domination by the likes of India, and China is pretty much guaranteed. Planning without reflection is not planning at all. Execution without planning is completely ineffective. I would agree with you that even the 12% time spent in reflection today may be reduced dramatically but I do not think that this in any way, shape, or form, can be a good thing. I would not be surprised if Hitler's followers were largely characterized by their lack of reflection and the independent thought which is its outcome. While I don't expect a similar leader to rise in the West, even more 'benign' leaders like, oh I don't know, a certain president, can wreak great havoc when they are voted into office not once but twice, even after they had shown their true colours. Given society's current momentum I expect more of the same difference. As a certain thought-leader once wrote: "I'll move myself and my family aside If we happen to be left half alive I'll get all my papers and smile at the sky For I know that the hypnotized never lie Do ya? YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! There's nothing in the street Looks any different to me And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye And the parting on the left Is now the parting on the right ...Meet the new boss Same as the old boss" Whether reflective thinking matters? That’s a pretty radical point of view. While the western world is characterized more by its ready-fire-aim (Peter Senge) approach than the eastern world, global economic domination by the likes of India, and China is pretty much guaranteed. Planning without reflection is not planning at all. Execution without planning is completely ineffective. I would agree with you that even the 12% time spent in reflection today may be reduced dramatically but I do not think that this in any way, shape, or form, can be a good thing. I would not be surprised if Hitler’s followers were largely characterized by their lack of reflection and the independent thought which is its outcome. While I don’t expect a similar leader to rise in the West, even more ‘benign’ leaders like, oh I don’t know, a certain president, can wreak great havoc when they are voted into office not once but twice, even after they had shown their true colours. Given society’s current momentum I expect more of the same difference. As a certain thought-leader once wrote:

“I’ll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half alive
I’ll get all my papers and smile at the sky
For I know that the hypnotized never lie

Do ya?

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

There’s nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Is now the parting on the right

…Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss”

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