Renny Gleeson made a three-minute appearance (see the video below) at TED in February that captured one of the biggest challenges facing the digerati.

What Gleeson thrust into the spotlight is the “culture of availability” – the concept that mobile technology is making us available nearly all the time. This availability creates the expectation that everyone is available and, as important, the obligation to respond if people do, in fact, contact you.

While being available has its advantages for those of us who live mobile professional and personal lives, it also makes it impossible to really escape because it takes discipline not to respond. As a result, we’re always checking to see if we’ve been contacted, and then quickly replying.

As Gleeson contends, it means we’re not living in the moment because being available means we’re not completely engaged. He also suggests – and I agree – that many people are more interested in documenting what they’re doing as opposed to just doing it.

It’s a problem because we’re increasingly unfocused. Look at the number of people who insist on checking e-mail or talking on the phone while driving, or people who walk and talk or walk and type. In the process, they become oblivious to what’s around them – other people, cars, bicyclists, et al.

We also pay less attention to the people who matter. You’re at dinner, and checking your e-mail while also trying to talk with friends and family. Why the need to multi-task/stay in touch when you should be focused on the task at hand?

Collectively, we need to work on being less availability, and walk away from the obligation to respond simply because someone reaches out to you.

To see how different your world can be, try leaving the house one day without your mobile device. At first, it seems strange because you’re abruptly disconnected. But pretty soon you’ll realize that you’re not missing much because the e-mails and the voice mails will be there waiting when you eventually get to them.

Of course, I’m not suggesting we abandon mobile devices and/or ignore people trying to get in touch but a little wireless discipline will go a long way.

More: Another good read is Luc Filigheddu’s post on “Six Simple Steps to Escape from Social Media”.

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