Technology To Help You Strike A Balance (NAPSA)—If you know someone who won’t take a family vacation for fear of losing a sale that’s about to close; or who misses a your boss is expecting you to update an important spreadsheet—you can do that at halftime from your mobile device. Or plan your day by checking your calendar without logging on to your laptop or desktop computer. The ability to get out of the office could make you that much more successful the next time you walk into it— and could help to make you feel less guilty when taking that next much-needed vacation. There are a number of mobile devices on the market today that can help you strike a balance. Microsoft Windows Mobile-based devices such as the PPC-6700 from 4 |! z |- fa child’s weekly swim meet for fear of falling a step behind co-workers, you’re not alone. According to a survey by TrueCareers, an online job board, half of the employees questioned felt guilty when taking a day off from work or going on vacation. Thirtyfive percent of employees believed that worrying about work when on the job caused them to sacrifice a portion of their personal life, while 25 percent said that working too many hours has been the source of the interference. Fortunately, there is mobile technology available today that can help you with the delicate work/life balance. Just as the first cordless phones gave you freedom to walk around the house while on the phone, mobile devices offer you the ability to leave the office while taking your information with you. Mobile devices help you to manage all of the information thrown at you on your own schedule, instead of your company’s hours. Imagine the freedom of attending your child’s football game even though There are many Windows Mobilebased devices on the market today, such as the Sprint PPC- 6700, that can help you be more productive on-the-go. Sprint or new devices coming out like the Windows Mobile-based Palm Treo from Verizon provide a great way to stay connected to the office, but not chained to it. These devices help users to be more productive by sending e-mails, scheduling appointments, sending instant messages, managing contacts, orga- nizing tasks, text messaging and making calls—all while on the go. They are also personal entertainment gadgets with the ability to lis- ten to music, watch videos or recorded television, and they includestill and video cameras. “There’s no magic potion for balancing yourlife, but we believe that mobile technology can definitely makeit easier,” said John Stark- weather, Mobile and Embedded Devices Division at Microsoft. “We’ve developed software for mobile devices that makes it easy to manage your calendar, do business e-mail, and keep in touch with loved ones at the same time. It’s like having your office in your pocket—ready for work when you are.” You may want to put such a mobile device on your next wishlist or even indulge yourself in a little device with big returns.
