Technology stress in a wireless world

These seminars are aimed at giving you practical instructions on how to incorporate the low-information diet into your office or work-related routines.

BulkSMS.com is hosting a series of seminars across South Africa on reducing technology stress and improving productivity in a wireless world.

Cellphones have become an indispensable part of your working life and this increasingly comes at a psychological cost. In 2005 WebMD reported a study which shows the use of cell phones can cause work worries to spill over into home time for both men and women. But only women seem to suffer from the opposite effect with cell phones carrying family concerns into the office.

"Current practice is to answer calls immediately, or it is left to bother those around us. Yet, our decision to respond to the call or SMS message means that we disturb the people around us; possibly broadcasting personal issues in the workplace and interrupting colleagues," says Dr Piet Streicher, MD of BulkSMS.com and co-presenter of the seminars. "In addition, if we answer work-related calls at home outside of office hours, we could be taking up the precious time spent with family. The result is that the increase in cellphone communications for work and private purpose can become a source of irritation for those we physically interact with on a daily basis."

These seminars will show you how to take control of your cellphone phone communications; and mitigates against your cellphone controlling you.

According to Ramon Thomas, online behaviour expert at NETucation, "The biggest misnomer of the last 10 years has been how technology allows you to multi task and therefore increases your productivity.
There is a entire genre of research focused on the multitasking myth and my biggest concern is how the underlying psychological stress caused by cellphones and Internet usage is going unnoticed among the wider business community."

Some of the topics that will be covered in the seminars include:
* Cellphone and SMS etiquette
* Steps for cleaning up information pollution
* The mobile worker in South Africa
* Increasing focus and productivity in the 21st Century office
* Strategies for the automated lifestyle

Further information:

Participants will receive a comprehensive set of notes, including tips and other supporting information to take away for future reference. Each workshop will be two hours long and costs R150 per person. The seminars will be held in the following centres:

Cape Town:
Date: Thursday, 17 April
Venue: The Cullinan Hotel
Time: 15h00 - 17h00 with networking afterwards (drinks and snacks
provided)

Johannesburg:
Date: Thursday, 15 May
Venue: Balalaika Hotel, Sandton
Time: 15h00 - 17h00 with networking afterwards (drinks and snacks
provided)

Durban:
Date: Wednesday, 28 May
Venue: Blue Waters, Central City District
Time: 15h00 - 17h00 with networking afterwards (drinks and snacks
provided)

To register, contact Deirdre van Zyl Smit on 082 3244639 or mailto: to ensure your place to this innovative event where you will be introduced to key insights on how best to use cellphones within the workplace.

Venues

Date: 17 April 2008
Location: The Cullinan Hotel, Cape Town

Date: 15 May 2008
Location: Balalaika Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg

Date: 28 May 2008
Location: Blue Waters, Central City District, Durban

Contact: Deirdre van Zyl Smit
Company name: BulkSMS.com
Telephone number: 082 3244639
Email address