Do you text in the shower?

“I can't stand to be disconnected long enough to wash my hair.” That comment spurred an entire conversation with my students while I was a substitute teacher this week. I found the statement a little surprising in itself, but more so when it was echoed by other students.

I'm not mocking. Rather, I'm looking at the diverse ways social media affects people. This afternoon I had a similar conversation with a business woman who is getting rid of her Blackberry because she is TOO connected. “I can't seem to get anything done because I'm always getting emails.”

Facebook, Twitter, Ning, Youtube. They're all valuable tools for both personal and business social-interaction, and technology is only making them easier to access on the go. The trick is finding a balance that works.

Whether you use technology in the office, at home or on the road, a schedule is the most important part of this balance. Set times for checking in with the electronic world, and times to dedicate to other things, like washing your hair. Your friends will understand, believe me.