What I Did on My Summer Social Media Vacation

I decided to take a break from social media. For the months of June and July, I refrained from posting anything to the social networks I have belonged to for over a decade. This was my first time taking time off for a digital detox from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The purpose of my break was partly to unplug from the noise. Please note that our exchanges are never considered noise if you are connected with me on a social network. The other part was to clear my head of my dread and anxiety.

The noise is from the strangers in my feeds pontificating about politics and arguing over whether masks are useful during a pandemic (stop being stupid), the bots configured to create rage, the media companies seeking clicks and views, the stalker-like advertisements that follow me from retargeting even after I’ve made the purchases. You can stop wasting your money Rayban and Rugstudio, I already bought from you.

Let’s not forget how social networks use algorithms to decide who and what we should see in our feeds. I preferred social media when it was social, and we didn’t need this.

What I Did on My Summer Digital Detox

The following are things I noticed being off social media.

More Thinking. In the past, I haven’t paused long enough to consider why I wanted to share something. I’ve thought much more about this since taking a break. I share on social because I like to entertain, inform, and promote my content and content from people I admire.

Saved Time. When I snap a photo, I usually do so with the intention of sharing it on Instagram. Instead of posting it right away, I take the time to use filters and photo editing apps to improve the quality of the shots. I then consider the caption and corresponding hashtags. I would guess it takes me about 15 minutes to post one photo to Instagram. I’ve posted 3,642 images to Instagram since I created my account in 2010. That works out to 37 days, 22 hours 30 minutes.

More Reading. I ended up recouping the time I would have spent on social media. This left me with more free time to read books again. When taking Peggy for a walk, I often flip endlessly through Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. I replaced this urge by returning to my books within the Kindle app.

No News is Good News. When I wasn’t reading my Kindle app, I (too) often switched to Google News or Apple News and would fall down the rabbit hole. Obviously, staying informed is important. However, too much news is never a good idea. I found the experience better by pondering why I clicked each headline.

Reach Out and Touch Someone. Like the old Bell telephone ads of yesteryear, I realized there was much more value in emailing, texting, video conferencing, or phoning a friend than tagging them in a social media post. One friend released his new book, so I called him to tell him how much I enjoyed it. Another friend exchanged a series of text messages with me about his divorce. One friend and I had so much fun chatting over Zoom for the first time in many years that we scheduled a second call and continued the conversation.

Shutting Down the Phone. The damned phone is a big part of the problem. I appreciate a smartphone for the glorious piece of technology that it is. However, I’m not naive enough to ignore the addictive features built within. I realized I needed to power my phone off to keep from picking it up. I deleted the social apps, switched it to grayscale, and turned off the dopamine-releasing notifications.

Positives of Social Media

I would be remiss not to talk a little about the positives of using social media. While I did delete the social media apps from my phone, I still logged in once a day to check my private messages. My break was not a break from being social; it was a break from social media.

I made the Twitter exception of checking my Nashville Weather list from time to time as dark clouds loomed, especially when I was on the lake.

I received a warm welcome back when I announced that I had returned from my break on August 1. Thank you to those who said hello.

If you missed the news that I had taken a break, I expect the algorithms failed to inform you. It makes sense; why would the platforms want to give you an idea to take your break?

How about you?

Have you ever taken a break from social media? How did it work for you?

How to manage email expectations

Email is distracting me from everything else.

It’s been years since it was paramount that I be available at all hours of the day. I managed social media for two technology companies. To do my job well, it was essential that I monitored our brands and was available to assist our customers when need be. That was over eight years ago. 

In 2005 B.i. (Before iPhone) days, I was commissioned a Blackberry by my employer. I remember that blinking red light often represented urgent matters related to my role in rebranding an entire television network across Canada. I was dealing with issues across six time zones! 

These days, I still get urgent emails from time to time, but it’s seldom. I am thankful that I have few fires that need extinguishing now.

When I worked for the television network, my boss did something inspiring. This is something I am implementing today. Walter had an out of office email auto-reply on all of the time. It read something like…

Thanks for your message. I check my email twice a day at 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. If the matter is urgent, please call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX. 

I am certain this inspiring move made Walter more productive. I know this because of the amount of time I find I am stuck in my inbox. This has inspired me to repeat this method and combine it with only checking social media at specific times of the day (or taking months off entirely). It’s time to get more serious with my goals to produce better content.

By managing the email expectations of my clients, prospects, and colleagues, I can now focus more time on the work I need to do. Blocking myself from checking email and removing notifications allows me to improve my productivity and focus.

“Turn off your email; turn off your phone; disconnect from the Internet; figure out a way to set limits so you can concentrate when you need to, and disengage when you need to. Technology is a good servant but a bad master.”

— Gretchen Rubin  

Why Start a Podcast?

The question isn’t, “How should I start a podcast?” It’s ”Why do I want to start a podcast?”

Over the holidays, I spoke with a friend who was excited about launching a podcast in the new year. He had reached out because of my knowledge of the medium from over thirteen years of producing and listening to podcasts. I started my first podcast in 2005.

Rather than jumping into software, hardware, and marketing recommendations, I asked him why he wanted to start a podcast. He explained that he wanted to use it to promote his clients by interviewing them. I asked him what excited him about podcasting and he admitted, nothing much. He wanted to create a podcast because so many others were. It seemed like the right thing to do. 

Podcasting is popular these days, 26% of Americans listen to podcasts monthly. He thought it would be a great way to build his brand and promote his clients. I asked him if his customers listen to podcasts, he wasn’t sure. 

A podcast is a labor of love (or you have a team)

A podcast is much more work than many people realize. There are two ways to handle this. The first is to commit yourself to many hours of work. Here is a breakdown of what you will be spending your time on for an interview-type show.

• Purchase necessary equipment like a good microphone, headset, and software. 

• Develop the marketing plan for the show. Commit to a publishing frequency like one new episode every Monday. 

• Create or outsource theme music.

• Create or outsource album art. 

• Submit the podcast to directories like Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Podcasts, and new editions like Audible, Pandora, and Spotify. 

• Outreach to your potential guests. Plan for back-and-forth emails to schedule time for each interview. 

• Guest research and show preparation like writing questions. 

• Conduct the actual interviews. 

• Edit interviews and produce each episode. 

• Upload episode file to hosting service. 

• Create a corresponding blog post with show notes for each episode. 

• Promote each new episode and blog post across social media channels and to email newsletter.

• Create social media channels and email newsletter if you don’t already have these.

• Consider purchasing ads online to get more listeners.

• Beg your listeners for iTunes reviews. 

It’s going to cost you time and money

The second option is to outsource the work. This can cost hundreds of dollars per episode. I asked my friend about the budget he was willing to allocate to his podcast. Either way, it would cost him time and money. 

My friend’s idea was to create a podcast to feature interviews with his clients. I asked how his guests would perform in the interviews? Would they be entertaining, inspiring, or helpful to his listeners? He doubted it. He confessed that some might actually sound terrible. 

How would he expect to gain listeners of his podcast if the content wasn’t enjoyable to the listener? In fact, it might actually do a disservice to his clients if they come across inarticulate or standoffish. Plus, if he only gains a few listeners, how will this serve his clients?

I could sense his nodding head over the phone. My honest feedback might have come across a little blunt, but I know I was saving him time and money - that’s what friends are for. 

How about this instead?

I proposed a different idea to reach the same results he strived for: feature his clients and build his brand. Interview his guests via email and feature those interviews on his blog. This would take little time because his clients would provide the bulk of the content by answering his questions. In addition, his clients would likely share their interview with their friends, fans, and followers. This would strengthen his brand and introduce his business to new prospects.  Win-win. 

Are you thinking about starting a podcast this year? Start by asking yourself why. Consider the work it will take and whether there is an easier way to achieve the same results. If you decide a podcast is the right decision, I wish you the best of luck with your show. Send me the link, I would love to check out your podcast.

I am passionate about podcasting, I’ve been doing it on and off since 2005. I am also passionate about helping my clients and friends make the right decisions. By all means, start a podcast, but begin by asking. Why?

Bull Semen in Red Bull???

Several months ago, I was enjoying dinner with a group of people. One of the guests ordered a vodka and Red Bull. A woman gasped as he began to sip his concoction. He stared at her curiously and asked if she had ever tasted the beverage. She explained she would never drink the stuff because of something she read on the internet. 

"Red Bull is made with bull semen."

The group of us laughed, and the woman became flushed. She insisted it was probably true because she saw it online. Her friend had sent her a link to the story. I politely introduced her to a website everyone needs to know about called Snopes.com.

Snopes is the definitive internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation. If you ever come across a story that seems too wild to be true, check Snopes. Check the story, especially before you share it.

I should add that Snopes is entirely independent and self-supporting; they receive no funding from any person, group, agency, or organization. 

Is Obama a liar? Is Trump a fake?

Want to know how that politician is performing? Would you like to see if that political rumor is true or not? Check Politifact.com before spreading the story.

PolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. When you hear something on talk radio, TV, online, or at the watercooler, it's best to check its accuracy here first. 

Understand online and traditional media outlets are businesses. Sensationalist headlines always draw our attention. The more clicks, eyeballs, and eardrums they receive, the more money they earn from advertisers. 

Most sites and media outlets have biases and may even lean to one political side over another. It's no secret that Fox leans Republican, and MSNBC leans Democrat. It's up to you to recognize this before you amplify the "news" with your friends on Facebook.

When you share fake news you are part of the problem.

Don't be a red-faced, bull semen-sipping believer. Be responsible by checking the facts and source first. Spreading fake news and misinformation can not only make you look foolish, but it can also be downright dangerous. Less informed, more gullible people can act on rumors in horrible ways. 

I've included the latest stories and rumors below from Politifact and Snopes. Click through to learn more and to be informed. 

The Latest from Snopes and Politifact

Can't see the latest above? Click over to Snopes or Politifact directly.

The Red Bull bull semen rumor is totally fake, but the headline made you click to read this post, right? That's how they get us. ;)

10 Years Later: Reflecting on BarCamp Nashville

BarCamp Nashville, the free, technology unconference is celebrating its tenth year this Saturday, October 15th. If you have any interest in technology (and you should), you would be nuts to miss this celebration. 

My friend and co-founder, Marcus Whitney, recently wrote a wonderful recap blog post about how BarCamp Nashville came together. Our main goal was to put Nashville on the "digital map". We wanted the world to recognize the technology talent in our city. Our plan was to launch BarCamp and later PodCamp Nashville (now known as Craft Content), and pass the organizing torch to a new team each year.

CORRECTION: After our panel today, Marcus reminded me of the reason why we passed the torch. Originally, we had planned on doing the second BarCamp Nashville, but Marcus started his own company and decided not to do it. So Kelly Stewart (one of the original organizers) and I decided to pass the torch to the next group. Who knew my mind would be foggy after nearly ten years. 

The model has worked well. Each year a new person takes the lead of a specific task and the previous person becomes a mentor. For example, if one person manages sponsorships in 2016, the person who managed it in 2015 teaches them everything they need to know. It's been cool to notice how different people have changed roles over the years as they have learned new skills or wanted to test to new areas of interest.

Countless New Friends

I can't speak for each volunteer, but I can imagine that their experiences have led to new areas of expertise for their careers and businesses. Plus they have made new friendships with fellow volunteer organizers. I know that personally, I have made countless friends from my involvement as an early organizer and co-founder, and later as a speaker and fellow attendee.  

BarCamp Nashville was created by our community for our community. It is with deep thanks to all of the attendees and speakers who have made it an amazing event each year. I also want to thank the gracious sponsors who paid to make BarCamp happen. Finally, and most importantly, I want to raise a glass to toast all of the dedicated organizers who have continued to grow and nurture Nashville's original unconference.

BarCamp Nashville Organizer Roll Call (2007 - 2016)

Abby Whisenhut
Adam Auden
Alan Eatherly
Alan Fox
Alex Ezell
Alison Slamon
Andrew Duthie
Anna Stout
Ashley Bright
Audrey Hunter
Audrey Shores
Bart Renner
Bayard Saunders
Ben Wilburn
Berenice Valdes
Bob Kalwinsky
Bobby Brock
Brad Blackman
Brianna Reed
Bryan Duplantis
Cal Evans
Carla Swank Fox
Carter Harris
Catherine Hardin
Chad Taylor
Chase Ramsey
Chris Mihalcik
Chris Riesgo
Chuck Bryant
Clark Buckner
Cliff Corr
Colin Yearwood
Corey Davis
Courtenay Rogers
Courtney Seiter
Cristina Cinque
D'nelle Dowis
D'nelle Throneberry
Damon Romano
Dan Cotton
Dan Eggenschwiler
Dani Heileman
Dani Heilman Howell
Darren Crawford
David Beronja
David Payne
Dean Shortland
Deanna Vickers
Deborah Fisher
Deborah Sanderfur
Diane Sanders
Doris Palomino
Dustin Thomason
Edwin Acevedo
Elizabeth Elmore
Emily Fordice
Emma Everett
Eric Near
Eric Shuff
Erica Cosminsky
Erin Cubert
Erin McInnis
Erin Page
Gaines Kergosien
Hannah Moyer
Heather Venesile
Heidi Short
Jacques Woodcock
Jairo Ruiz
James Logan
Jamin Guy
Jenni Leeds
Jennifer Nash
Jessawynne Parker
Jessica Murray
Jessica Peoples
Jimmy Thorn
Joanne Eckton
Joe Smith
John Ellis
Jordan Kasper
Joseph Bradley
Josh Cole
Julia Corrigan
Julie McReynolds
Julie Moore Dey
Kailey Hussey
Kate O'Neill
Katherine Neunaber
Keith Miles
Kelly Stewart
Kenny Silva
Kerry Woo
Kim Hatcher
Knight Stivender
LaCheka Phillips
Laurie Kalmanson
Les Gebhardt
Lesley Smith
Lindsey McMurray
Lisa French
Lucas Hendrickson
Marc Apple
Marcus Snyder
Marcus Whitney
Marissa Benchea
Mark Rowan
Mark Williams
Marshall Romero
Mary Carnahan
Mary Kergosien
Mathew Laughlin
Matthew Jackson
Max Trenkle
Maynard Garrett
Melanie Friebel
Melanie Meadows
Michael Daugherty
Michael Morton
Michelle Price
Michelle Ward
Mike Conrad  
Mike Logsdon
Miller Canning
Nayeli Anaya Hernandez
Neil McCormick
Nicholas Holland
Nipun Joshi
Paul Sunderhaus
Penny Cupp
Rachael Kahne
Rob Wingfield
Robin Thorpe
Russell Campbell
Sam Bradley
Samantha Yeargin
Scot Justice
Scott Greer
Scott Troutman
Sean Hill
Steve Cunningham
Sue Anne Reed
Tabitha Tune
Thomas Vaughn
Tina Wisneski
Todd O’Neill
Tom Cheredar
Tony Grotticelli
Winston Hearn

Did I miss you? Sorry about that. Please leave me a comment. 

Join Us This Saturday

Marcus and I will be hosting an interactive question and answer session with each other and the audience on Saturday. We hope to see you at our session, A look back (and forward) at BarCamp Nashville. Check out all of the other amazing sessions planned too! All for free. 

Happy 10th BarCamp Nashville. 

My Selfless Promotion Challenge

I had a fun back-and-forth with Brad Wilson and Tahira Endean on Twitter on Saturday. They reminded me how much fun social media can be when you're being social. 

I have been struggling with the social side of social media lately. Maybe you have too. I find I have been having less conversations with folks. I believe I'm partly to blame because I have been spending less time online. I have also been too self-promotional, and I haven't been listening enough. By listening, I am referring to reviewing conversations from my saved Twitter lists and search results, and the Facebook and LinkedIn groups I belong to. 

My Selfless Promotion Challenge

This week I'm trying an experiment. I'm calling this my Selfless Promotion Challenge. I'm going to put the social back into social networking. Here's my plan.  

• I've logged into my IFTTT and Buffer accounts to pause my scheduled, automated content.
• I have updated my Tweetdeck layout to only include Lists and Search Results (in addition to my replies and direct messages). 
• I will NOT like or retweet any content without a comment of my own. 
• I will NOT promote any of my own content or services. I will only promote other people.
• I will leave more comments on the blogs and groups I enjoy. 

I was trying to think of ways I could measure the results of my experiment, but I concluded measurement is beyond the point. If I am truly being selfless, I shouldn't care about the results. All I hope is that the results are more conversations, re-connections with old friends, and I make some new ones. 

How to Deliver a Killer Presentation: The Spacetime Symphony of Gravitational Waves

Have you ever looked up at the sky at night and wondered about the Milky Way? Do you ever consider your actions and the effects they have on the universe? Do you want to become a better public speaker? Are you wondering what these have in common? Have I opened this post with too many questions?

I had the great pleasure of spending my birthday at TEDXNashville this year. Heather and I agreed that our favorite speaker was astrophysicist, Dr. Kelly Holley-Bockelmann. We decided "The Spacetime Symphony of Gravitational Waves" was our favorite because of several reasons. 

Why we chose Dr. Kelly Holley-Bockelmann's presentation as the best TEDX Nashville for 2016 

There were many amazing presentations, but The Spacetime Symphony of Gravitational Waves stood out for som

• She dumbed down an extremely complex topic so the audience would understand. Even I understood!
• Her passion for the topic was contagious. 
• Humor was used throughout the presentation that kept us laughing. 
• She reflected on something we all recognize, staring up to the Milky Way. I loved that she started with this and returned to it again at the end. 
• The presentation was interactive as the audience rose to take part in The Gravitational Wave Dance.
• She was the best-dressed presenter. Her dress was a memorable part of the presentation. 
• She left us with a profound thought that we must consider each day. 

As a public speaker, I always watch presenters with the intention of learning new ideas to deliver more impactful talks. This presentation was definitely one that will stick with me. 

Even if you have no interest in understanding supermassive black holes, spacetime, or gravitational waves, you must watch this presentation.

Get ready to learn why your choices matter and how they will be written into the universe. 

If you want to learn more about delivering a killer presentation, pick up a copy of Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo.

Milky Way photo by James Wheeler

The Art of the Podcast

The Art of the Podcast

What are the five types of podcasts? What is the common thread that connects each? How can you make your podcast better?

I presented The Art of the Podcast at the Craft Content conference in Nashville. My goal was to leave the audience, a mix of current and future podcasters, with ideas on how to tell better stories and produce better podcasts. I began my talk by describing the five types of podcasts. 

The Five Types of Podcasts

1. Interview. An interview podcast is a program that features a guest and a host. Some of my favorites include; The Nice Podcast (shameless plug), The James Altucher Show, WTF with Marc Maron, Marketing Smarts, and Six Pixels of Separation. 

2. Couples-Cast. A podcast featuring two co-hosts. I used to use this definition for podcasts with actual couples like Dawn and Drew, and my first podcast, Two Boobs and a Baby. I now use it to cover all co-hosted podcasts. Check out Marketing Over Coffee as a good example.

3. Ramble-Cast. A single-host podcast. Any podcast with one person sharing what's on their mind fits this category. Tune into DicksnJanes and Up In This Brain to get a taste of what I am talking about.

4. Round Table. These are podcasts featuring a host as the moderator and a panel of subject experts; a favorite is The BeanCast.

5. Magazine. A magazine podcast is a highly produced show. It features multiple stories (like a magazine), and can also be referred to as a narrative podcast. I love shows like 99% Invisible, RadioLab, This American Life (admittedly this is a radio program first), and StartUp. I also have a new favorite, Neighbors, which I learned about from the host, Jakob Lewis, during Craft Content.

The online broadcasting barriers have dropped.

While some of my favorite podcasts began as terrestrial radio programs, some favorites have gone the other way and become radio shows. Online broadcasting barriers have dropped with the advent of inexpensive production software (Audacity is free) and hardware like microphones, mixers, and headphones. Anyone can become a podcaster now. The point is to become a good one by telling and sharing stories your listeners will be interested in. 

What makes a great podcast story?

Each of the five types of podcasts has one thing in common: Storytelling. The interviewer knows when to remain quiet to listen to his guest's story. A couples cast will feature the hosts taking turns sharing and adding to their stories. A ramble cast features a single person telling stories about her day or from her past. A roundtable moderator will pass the mic to each panelist, he will ensure they stay on the same topic while each participant adds their own stories to the mix. Like a physical magazine, a magazine podcast includes narrative stories from guests and their hosts. All powerful podcasts include rich, vivid stories. 

Four keys to podcasting an exceptional story

In The Art of the Podcast, I shared four keys to use in a podcast to relay an exceptional story. These don't have to all be used in a single podcast episode, but strong stories include one or more of the following; ambiance (background sounds, music, sound effects), conflict and resolution, honesty, and humor. 

I included several clips during my presentation as examples. The sound bites came from 99% Invisible, RadioLab, DicksnJanes, and StartUp. I am truly passionate about podcasting. I hope my audience found my presentation helpful as they weave better stories into their shows. 

If you have a podcast, please leave a link in the comments. I would love to tune in to your show. You can hear me interviewed on podcasts here or listen to my show, The Nice Podcast.

The Art of the Podcast from Dave Delaney

5 Reasons to Leave Comments on Blogs

Do you leave comments on blogs? This post was inspired by Mack Collier's BlogChat community. 

I enjoyed spending time in Mack Collier's BlogChat last night. Every Sunday night at 8 pm CST, bloggers take to Twitter to participate in Mack's chat about all things blogging. If you partake in Twitter chats, I recommend using TweetChat on desktop. It helps to handle the flow of incoming messages from the Twittersphere. 

I was curious how often everyone comments on other people's blogs. The answers were interesting. Most people claim they leave comments frequently while a few honestly answered that they need to do so more often. I also need to do this more often.

Bloggers (and podcasters) love to receive comments. Comments are from the humans (unless they are spam-bots) behind the analytical data. Comments are from the people who take the time to actually read your posts. I sincerely appreciate those who take the time to comment here. 

@davedelaney Yesterday. I comment regularly on the blogs I follow.

— Leigh Kramer (@hopefulleigh) January 11, 2016

@havertyj @davedelaney for sure, it's a great way to gain attention and reciprocation. Who doesn't love comments!? #blogchat

— Chris Rice (@ChrisRiceCo) January 11, 2016

@havertyj @davedelaney I agree I need to comment more. #blogchat

— Marc Miller (@CareerPivot) January 11, 2016

@havertyj @davedelaney I left a comment a few days ago - on our very own @MackCollier's #blog! #BlogChat

— Steve Case (@JoeBugBuster) January 11, 2016

@davedelaney I do not recall the last time I left comment. Need to change that if I want comments on my blog. #blogchat

— John Haverty (@havertyj) January 11, 2016

@davedelaney I am constantly commenting on blogs, I find it often inspires my writing to write to others. #blogchat

— Kyah Skavinski (@kyskav) January 11, 2016

@davedelaney tuesday

— Mike McAllen (@mmcallen) January 11, 2016

@davedelaney About 45 minutes ago. #blogchat

— Charles G Hill (@dustbury) January 11, 2016

I'd say it has been about a week. Anytime I read a blog, I try to leave a comment. #blogchat https://t.co/68VSF7PAHr

— Brandon (@therookiedad) January 11, 2016

@davedelaney Month back #blogchat

— Abhishek Deshpande (@Fitehal) January 11, 2016

5 Reasons to Leave Comments on Blogs

1. Relationships - by leaving a comment on a blog you get on the radar of the author, more so than simply using social media to share the posts. As I mentioned above, authors are always appreciative of thoughtful comments. 

2. Education - you can learn more if you ask questions about articles in the comments. You can also answer other questions from fellow commenters to help them.

3. Reciprocity - the author may come to your blog to see what you write about and leave comments too. 

4. Conversation - by leaving a comment you can stir conversation with the other readers and author. Perhaps you have something to add or a counter argument to the topic. 

5. Give Thanks - a comment is a simple way to say thank you to the author for writing the post. Favorite blogs die, so take a moment to let the author know you enjoy what she writes. 

I always encourage my clients to have their blog comments turned on. They are sometimes nervous that readers will come and bash their company, product or services. People will bash you online if they choose to anyway. Why not have them do it on your blog, where you can address their comments in the open?  

In order to make yourself leave comments more often, set a goal. For example, you can choose to leave three comments for every single blog post you publish. You could also plan to leave three comments each day of the week as a goal. 

Do you leave comments on blogs (your answer is "yes", if you answer this)?

Do you have a goal for yourself? What makes you stop to leave a comment?

5 Ways Airplane Mode Can Make You Productive

When we think of airplane mode on an iPhone or iPad, we think of air travel. That glorious switch on our device shuts down all communication, which surely saves us from falling from the sky. Thank God for airplane mode! 

Down here on the ground, airplane mode can be used in ways to help us become less distracted and more productive. Here are five reasons airplane mode can help you get more done. I love the button on my phone and you should too.

1. No calls. It is seldom that I get an urgent call that can't wait. Since the inception of the cell phone, we carry our devices everywhere just in case. The truth is few of us ever receive an emergency call. Note how many emergency calls you get this week. Do you see what I mean?

2. No notifications. Admit it, you have promised yourself to review your notifications and adjust the settings countless times. Yet you are still interrupted by that annoying game your kid put on your phone. It pokes you with reminders to gain more coins, gems, or to feed your virtual kitten. Yes, you can turn off all of the notifications, but most people don’t because what if someone tags you on Facebook today?

3. No browsing. What’s the weather going to be like tomorrow? What’s the latest breaking news? Has anyone shared my latest blog post? It doesn’t matter which browser you use on your phone, Chrome, Safari, Atomic, iCab… each leads you right back online. You can’t access them without an internet connection. 

4. No Siri interruptions. I was once on a live webinar with hundreds of people, when suddenly Siri replied to me out of the blue. One second I was rocking my way through a presentation, the next I was looking at my phone exclaiming, “Not now, Siri!” Shut that woman (or Australian man if you are Heather) down while you are working.

5. No text messages. Both my kids got an iPod touch for Christmas. Both haven’t stopped texting me ever since. This is fine, I love to hear from my kids, but small talk can be distracting when you are working. Think of the time you are spending in airplane mode as time you are making money to help put your kids through college. They will thank you for ignoring them later. 

Two Bonus Airplane Mode Tips

Stop a text message from sending. Not quite a productivity tip but this one can help you. If you are sending a text message (especially a multi-media message), you can quickly switch your phone to airplane mode to stop the message from being sent. Once you switch it back off, the message will say it was undelivered. Thanks to Matt Elliott from CNET for saving us from potential embarrassment.  

View fullsize

Queue Instagram photos. I avoid oversharing on Instagram. If you share too many photos in a row you will annoy your followers. Instead, you should queue photos for Instagram using airplane mode. Just do everything as you normally would. When you are ready, switch the phone to airplane mode, and upload the photo to Instagram. It will give you a failed message. When you switch off airplane mode the photo will still be there waiting for you to try again. Hit the round, refresh arrow and your photo will be uploaded. This is handy if you are saving a photo for #throwbackthursday, but today is Monday. 

If you want to be productive this year be generous with how often you use airplane mode on your phone. It’s the next best thing to moving to Cuba.

You Have 3 New Messages

Amber Case is a cyborg anthropologist, author and speaker. A few months ago, she spoke at Hubspot's Inbound Conference about Calm Technology. Calm is a term coined by Mark Weiser. The concept is for technology to improve our lives, but to step out of the way. 

Amber used electricity as an example of Calm. It exists all around us, but we only really notice it when it isn't working. It's time to think about Calm, since we live in an era of interruptive technology. You probably have received a few annoying notifications since you have been reading this post. 

50 Billion devices will be online by 2020. 

1. Technology shouldn't require all of our attention, just some of it, and only when necessary. She used a tea kettle as an example of this. 

2. Technology should empower the periphery. It should be around us, but not in our faces constantly competing for our attention. I loved her example of the Hue Light Bulb that changes color based on the weather. 

3. Technology should amplify the best of technology and the best of humanity. She adds that machines shouldn't act like humans, humans shouldn't act like machines. How many times have you repeated something for Siri to understand in your best robotic voice?

4. Technology can communicate, but it doesn't have to speak. I just added the LumoBack Smart Posture Sensor to my Christmas wish list. It gently vibrates to alert you to sit up. I need this right now. 

5. The right amount of technology is the minimum amount to solve the problem. Amber points out a simple toilet occupied sign as an example. 

Her presentation hit home to me. you can bet I need to avoid distractions (and to sit up straight). I encourage you to pick up her book, Calm Technology: Designing for Billions of Devices and the Internet of Things. 

How are you dealing with countless notifications? What are your thoughts on Calm Technology?