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<div>My friend Patrick Lynch sent me this, and I couldn't agree more.
I<br>
update my email Inbox manually, when I want to. Automatic updating
is<br>
an assured distraction.&nbsp; --PJK<br>
</div>
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>
<div>At 7:49 AM -0400 4/26/05, Patrick Lynch wrote:</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>FYI: Interesting article</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Not so much the sheer volume of email,
but the constant interruptions<br>
if you're not disciplined enough to read in batches at set times
of<br>
day. The most sensible thing about email I've read in a long time,<br>
particularly for jobs that require long, sustained periods of
intense</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>concentration, like many IT and creative
jobs:</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>======</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite
>http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/technology/article/0,1299,DRMN<span
></span>_49_3726289,00.html</blockquote>
<div><br>
<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>&nbsp;E-MAIL IS A THREAT to your IQ,
according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of
London.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Verdana">Constant e-mailing
and text messaging reduces mental ability by 10 IQ points, a more
severe effect than smoking cannabis, by distracting the brain from
other tasks, a University of London report showed.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font
face="Verdana"><br></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times" size="+2">The loss of
intelligence and disruption caused by electronic &quot;info- mania,&quot;
costs companies millions of dollars in lost productivity each year,
according to the study by the University's Institute of
Psychiatry.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times"
size="+2"><br></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times" size="+2">&quot;This
is a very real and widespread phenomenon,&quot; said Dr. Glenn Wilson,
author of the research, in a phone interview. &quot;Info-mania, if
unchecked, will damage a worker's performance by reducing mental
sharpness. Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate
way of working.&quot;</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times"
size="+2"><br></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times" size="+2">The study of
1,000 adults found that their intelligence declined as tasks were
interrupted by incoming e-mails and texts. The average reduction of 10
IQ points, though temporary, is more than double the four-point loss
associated with smoking cannabis. A 10-point drop is also associated
with missing a night of sleep, the report said.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times"
size="+2"><br></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times" size="+2">Sixty-two
percent of workers are addicted to checking messages out of office
hours and while on vacation, according to the report. A third of all
adults will respond to an e-mail immediately or within 10 minutes. One
in five is &quot;happy&quot; to interrupt a business or social meeting
to respond to an e-mail or text message, the study
found.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times"
size="+2"><br></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times"
size="+2">&quot;E-mails flashing on a screen distracts people, and the
use of electronic messaging should be limited,&quot; Wilson
said.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times"
size="+2"><br></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times" size="+2">Women were
less affected than men. Their average decline in IQ was five points,
compared with 15 for males, suggesting women are better at
multitasking, Wilson said.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times"
size="+2"><br></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times" size="+2">The study
also surveyed opinions on messaging in the workplace. Eighty-nine
percent of workers said it's &quot;extremely rude&quot; to answer
e-mails and phone messages during a face-to-face meeting. Seventy-two
percent were &quot;irritated&quot; by work phone calls held in public
places.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times"
size="+2"><br></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Times" size="+2">The<i>
Scotsman</i> newspaper earlier reported the findings of the study,
which was commissioned by Hewlett-Packard Co., the world's
second-biggest personal- computer maker.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>--</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Patrick J. Lynch, M.S.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Director, MedMedia Group</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Information Technology
Services-Medicine</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Yale University School of
Medicine</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>100 Church Street South, Suite
107</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>New Haven, CT 06519</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>(203) 737-5033</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>(203) 737-5034, fax</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite>mailto:patrick.lynch@yale.edu</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>http://its.med.yale.edu/wdd</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite>http://its.med.yale.edu/about_itsmed/directors/lynch.html</blockquote
>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>&quot;ITS-Med: connecting people and
technology.&quot;</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>http://its.med.yale.edu</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
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