December 1, 2009

Brad Pitt, Bluetooth Headsets and You

DITCH THE HEADSET. He can barely pull it off and you are not him.
--- Wired, Issue 17.08


Are you one of the few who still wears a Bluetooth headset in public? I never have. US usage plummeted from 43% daily in 2008 to 26% in 2009.

Why?

Brad Pitt strains to overcome the geekiness but the worry lines and sweat show the struggle. What if you ditch the phone altogether?

Phoneless
I spent a week without a mobile phone ... and survived. I felt lost the whole time because I couldn't connect with others. The day I got my Blackberry Bold 9700, I spent hours using it --- mainly email and the calendar. The next day, I left home without it ...

Over the years, I'd forget my Blackberry 1-3 times a week. I'd remember when I got to my car and then go back inside to get it.

What was going on? I didn't forget my wallet, briefcase or keys.

Disconnect
My subconscious was saying disconnect. Focus.

My car has great Bluetooth integration but I avoid the phone while driving because I can't take notes. Much better to use voicemail. I don't answer calls during meetings or during short breaks either. Why? To be present in the present. We're lousy at multitasking and digital overload fries our brains (Wired, Feb 2009).

Phoning from a quiet environment when you can concentrate makes your communication more intense. Less frequent contact creates scarcity, which increases your value (the second universal principle of influence). As a bonus, you (can) manage your time better and get more done.

Wired
Others stay connected during the day, at night and on holidays. You've seen people wandering around with Bluetooth headsets or phones at their ears. Continuous availability reduces value. Are their connections deep? Are they visible on Facebook or LinkedIn?

Show
Showing your connections influences others in good or bad ways. Some socializers build mediocre, shallow networks. Some introverts create meaningful connections.

LinkedIn also makes the recommendations you receive visible. There's no better place for testimonials because only your connections can endorse you. This make the value of the recommendations easy to gauge.

What if Bluetooth headset usage drops more next year? Stash yours beside your CB radio and cassette Walkman. No worries. No sweat.

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