Tuesday 29 July 2014

Wearable Tech and Productivity.


Healthy Wearables its all about the feedback
When Google Glass first debuted I was one of those wondering and (quietly scoffing) about the usefulness of this technology. More to the point I couldn't really see how it might be of any practical use to things that mattered to me in my life. I have since had to eat my words. Google Glass was the forerunner of many Wearables that have started taking the Tech world by storm. Health related wearable tech is the niche that got me to change my mind. Growing my health is an important subject, as I am sure it is for any intensive frequent flier. Compromised health means the inability to function on the road and zero productivity when it matters. Understanding the value of Wearables has allowed me to make the link between the status of my health and my productivity. I hope this short article allows you to realize similar value.

As a frequent flier getting feedback is key especially where my health is concerned. Frequent fliers go through multiple timezones, oxygen reduced aircraft cabins, shifting hormonal patterns and regular sleep deprivation, getting timely feedback is invaluable. Feedback and the ability to act on it is the difference between those who get results and those who get the results they want. The ability to act on feedback has just been brought to the fingertips of anyone who cares to take note.

I love to compare frequent fliers to athletes. Athletes train for competition and frequent fliers (in the know) train for the road. Athletic performance continues to improve over the years, through the use of feedback athletes get from technology. It is my hallucination that the lot of the frequent flier may be improved by following this same path. We all know that frequent travel is exhausting, and most solutions out there are only good for the short term if at all. Feedback through healthy Wearables allows fliers to monitor the basic health indicators which underpin productivity and creativity.  Being able to wear a device 24/7 which monitors sleep patterns, exercise, calorie consumption, movement, water consumption and steps gives you on the move information you can respond to.


Hydration, sleep and exercise are just some of the metrics measured by these gadgets, you can wear around your neck, wrist or slip into your pocket. Others measure exposure to chemical pollutants or electromagnetic radiation sources you may be exposed to. All in all the simplicity of use and the immediate feedback they give makes them ideal for life on the road. More importantly armed with this information you can adjust your schedule appropriately to refuel and recharge to avoid burnout.

In today's workplace where productivity, stress and burnout go hand in hand acute monitoring tools like this can be a godsend. It seems the usefulness of these tools is not lost on some forward thinking employers. I recently had to send my wearable off for a replacement. During the customer service process I was asked if I bought it myself or if it was provided to me by an employer program. Some employers have obviously recognised the benefit health related wearable tech can bring to their employees, multi-nationals and frequent fliers would do well to pick up on this trend too. For a small investment the returns can make all the difference in performance which can be the difference between success or failure.


No comments:

Post a Comment