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What are your communication boundaries? Few of us doubt that staying in touch without being chained to a desk can be a good thing. But when does it become too much of a good thing?

Here's a challenge for you: count the number of electronic connections you make in one day. Pick any day during the work week and make note of each email, text message, pager alerts, blogs, or whatever that you receive and send that day. You will be shocked. A 1997 Study by the University of Illinois reported an average of 392 electronic communications per week. Most of you will rack that up in a day, thanks to advent of text messaging.

Top 10 Reasons to stay in touch

1. You want your boss to think you don't have a life
2. You want your friends to think you don't have a job
3. You need a valid excuse to ignore your family at the dinner table
4. You prefer that coworkers to contact you first before trying to resolve a problem on their own
5. You like to (think you) know where your kids are at all times
6. You want something to do when you are supposed to be doing something else
7. You always wanted to type 50 words per minute with your thumbs, in shorthand
8. You want to hide the fact that you have underdeveloped people skills
9. You hate paying attention in meetings
10. You don't want to miss any agonizing detail of someone else's life

Humor aside, how do you know where to draw the line on keeping in constant communication? At what point does the cost begin to outweigh the benefits? In today's world, we are constantly bombarded by electronic information that we are expected to absorb at a high rate of speed. This can create an artificial dependence on electronic connection, often at the detriment of human connection.

Email pings, vibrating blackberries and ringing cell phones frequently interrupt our train of thought, often making the day one long series of reactionary responses. This can be a huge drain on creativity and impact our ability to accomplish major goals that require focus. Electronic demands typically far exceed our ability to keep up with them, fostering a feeling of always being behind. To deal with this, we turn to multitasking and extending the boundaries of our workday into our no-longer-private life. While these techniques may make us feel more efficient and in control, we are actually living in a constantly distracted and frequently stressed state.

The secret to harnessing the power while avoiding the impact of constant contact is having communication boundaries. Boundaries create a framework that help you control the flow of information and create "information free" zones throughout your day.

Tips for creating communication boundaries:

Reduce the sources of requested information

• Stop and think about what you really value. Can you write down your top 5?
• What percentage of your daily life is spent in support of these values? Which values aren't getting much attention on a regular basis?
• Are you currently involved in any actions that are in direct conflict with your values?

Second, build in actions that will take your integrity up a notch

• Jot down all the ways you get automatic information today. Include automated stock quotes, news updates, email newsletters, Internet product updates, group distribution lists. Estimate the daily volume coming in from all these sources.
• Rate the value of each (high/medium/low) and the volume (high/medium/low).
• Request to be removed from at least 25% of your existing sources. That sounds like a lot, but you can do it! Focus on the low value and high volume sources both at home and at work.

Create information-free zones during your day

• Turn off your email, instant messenger and cell phone when you are working on a project. You will accomplish much more by creating blocks of time to focus without interruption. According to David E. Meyer, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan, multitaskers actually hinder their productivity by trying to accomplish two things at once. Mr. Meyer has found that people who switch back and forth between two tasks, like exchanging e-mail and writing a report, may spend 50 percent more time on those tasks than if they work on them separately, completing one before starting the other.
• Also unhook yourself electronically when you know you want to be fully present. This may include dinner with your family, an important meeting or a valuable seminar. Notice that you and world do survive the blackout.
• Avoid the temptation to interrupt a human connection with an electronic one!

Use the right tool for the job

• Electronic communication is best for short, speedy exchanges and non-emotional topics. When you find yourself exchanging lengthy diatribes, multiple exchanges or terse words, it's time to go live.

Information boundaries take time to develop and implement. Be patient but firm with yourself as you convert information from an addiction to a tool.

Resources

To learn more about the hidden costs of constant contact, read this New York Times article The Lure of Data: Is It Addictive?

Read this Wall Street Journal article to learn more more about the future of Information Overload.