Are you here or there?

As director of the HP Labs Mobile and Media Systems Lab and as a player, captain, and former coach of team sports, I'll share some thoughts on mobile & media experiences and technology; on managing research, collaborations, and technology transfers; and on management and career tips I've picked up along the way. Please do comment on new and old posts, as I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences on these topics!

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» Are you here or there?

You know the person... the person who is always looking at their cell phone or PDA, checking for new messages, stepping out for phone calls, busily pounding on their laptops responding to their emails, even when they're in small meetings. The person is very busy, always moving, and always has so much to do, actually, too much to do. The person is very important and juggling many things. I'm sure you know the person I'm talking about. Maybe it's a colleague. Maybe it's a friend. Maybe it's you. I know that often times it's me.

We spend so much time being connected and building close relationships with people who are far away. Then, we go to the effort of reserving time to be with them and traveling to see them. And when we finally get there, instead of focusing on them, we dive into our connected mobile devices and start communicating with the other people who are now far away from us, those who we're virtually connected to.

In other words, instead of focusing on the people who are HERE, we focus on the people who are THERE. And, when we get THERE, that becomes our new HERE, and instead of focusing on the people who are in our new HERE, we focus on the people in our new THERE. It's a vicious cycle!

Perhaps you have figured out that I'm a big fan of being connected. I love the new communication experiences that technology has enabled. I love creating the technologies that enable them. I love the fact that I can communicate with people by email, phone, video conferencing, blogging, social networking, and instant messaging. I think the experiences and technologies are immensely valuable and that we should keep developing them as fast as we can.

But, as people, we have to learn how to manage ourselves in a world where these technologies exist.

Do you know someone who is stuck in the HERE-THERE cycle? Are you?
Where do you live? HERE or THERE?
How do we manage ourselves in a world of communication technologies?

Tags: communication experience, communication technology, multitasking, work-life balance, overload, focus on people, build relationships, HP

Please feel free to leave a URL in your comments.

Posted by Susie Wee on Friday, July 13, 2007 2:57 AM

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Comments for Are you here or there?

Re: Are you here or there?

I love this blog post, Susie, but I think that the problem isn't the here-there vicious cycle but that all of these different means of connectivity (cell, email, blackberry, blog, skype, etc.) are the real roots of the problem, which limits our ability to be in the here and now. Ever notice that when you stop travelling, you really appreciate being here, and when you do have to travel, you really appreciate being there. Does that make any sense?

Posted by PublicPassport on 9/27/2007 4:11 PM
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Re: Are you here or there?

I have noticed exactly what you're saying, and it is especially relevant since I am on a little traveling spree (Singapore-Boston-Germany) right now after actually being home for 2 months straight (a major accomplishment for me!). As you said, I really appreciated being home and seeing my friends and colleagues at home for two months, and now I appreciate traveling and seeing my friends and colleagues around the world.

On the other hand, I still think that some people let the technology get the most of them and let it stop them from "being present" where they are. I think there is still an opportunity to advance the "social guidelines" of how we use these new mobile technologies to prevent this from happening. Overall, I like having these technologies, as they allow me to connect even when I'm in an airport lounge or hotel room and it makes traveling much more enjoyable. But, I should be careful about using them to the extreme where I neglect those who are nearby. I guess it's all about finding balance.

Thank you for visiting and commenting- as this conversation helped me feel connected while I'm in a hotel room in a foreign country!

Posted by PublicPassport on 9/27/2007 9:29 PM
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