Unwise use of technology causes problems

New technology is supposed to streamline life and work, allowing people to operate more efficiently and productively.

But sometimes, the opposite happens.

A new survey of 515 white-collar workers indicates that social media, e-mail and poorly conceived technology can actually lessen productivity, USA Today reported.

It found that more than half of American workers waste at least an hour a day on interruptions — 60 percent due to electronic devices and emails, the other 40 percent from phone conversations or office chats.

Nearly half — 45 percent — of those surveyed said they are interrupted, on average, about every 15 minutes. About 2.5 hours per week are spent trying to find documents in poorly organized electronic files, according to the poll by software company Harmon.ie and researchers uSamp.

The presence of many different types of media can cause people to lose focus.

Manners are an issue, too: 68 percent of people always turn off their cellphones during movies, but the rest do not. Two of three are preoccupied during meetings, checking email, tweeting and taking phone calls.

Distractions are expensive, costing companies $10,790 a year for each worker, the study indicated. Some firms are asking employees to use technology less. The variety of communications gadgetry provides many options. Making wise choices, using technology intelligently seems to be the answer.