Here are some simple but I think  meaningful things you can do to be more productive in meeting your own goals and those of  organizations you work with  in 2010.

If you are working and either overwhelmed or unsure about technology/social media just jump into the mix of some new technology tools and don’t worry if you are briefly overwhelmed and don’t do well.  Just experiment and find one, two or three ways to become more savvy about technology.  Find some new technology that helps you do what you want to do better—not just because it is new, fun,or distracting but because it helps you do something you want to do faster, easier, in a way that is working now versus an older less viable approach or cheaper.  We need more focus, less stress and using technology as a way to help you in that way it will make sense to you.  New technology tools are not rocket science and you can easily adjust —I have a kindle for goodness sake.  The key is being selective and using things as a tool to meet your needs and goals—not others.

But, under no circumstances give up your belief that personal real and genuine relationships of all kinds are the most important thing in the world of work.  Use technology to bring you closer to people.   But hold fast to your focus on people and relationships.  Having hundreds of freiends on facebook or 800 contacts on Linkedin doesn’t mean you have terrific working relationships that support you personally or profesisonally.  

If you are a worker young or just very tech savvy and involved with it 24/7, promise yourself to do something not technology focused for a co-worker, a person that works for you or someone you work for.  A young 30ish woman I coached last year (often through technology) sent me a handmade scarf for Christmas—that knocked me out—refreshing and suprising and going to have a lasting impact on our relationship and my willingness to help support or recommend her going forward.  Call someone and meet with them.  Take time to listen to people rather than focusing on instantly responding all the time. Make believe tweets and emails and IMs cost $5.00 each—-or $10.00—-do you need to send this particular note or could a call or personal reach out be more helpful to solve the business problem or handle the issue?   While there used to be too many inperson meeting and gathering, there are often not enough–think before you respond through technology.

Essentially I am suggesting two things—more attention—and balance—-try more uses of technology if you avoid it and try less if you are enamored of it.     

Thinking critically is my other suggestion.  We are becoming more viseral and less thoughtful—change is awesome, technology rocks, but if you can’t think about the assumptions behind what you are doing or others are doing, if you can’t take time to digest and mull things over, you are going to be less creative and innovative—the very things most necessary in these challenging times.  Careful analysis never guarantees success, and one’s gut is often a great guide for some types of action especially if you are very experienced and can thin slice information.  But that said, the biggest challenges most business and organizations face need fresh thinking and more broad thinking—more critical views and more openness to see things in a fresh way.

Attention and thinking.  Improve them both to make positive things happen in 2010.