Wasting Away in Messageville

I spend anywhere from 30 to 40 hours per week working at my computer. A few years ago, life was comparatively simple. Open up inbox, send e-mail, receive e-mail, file e-mail, complete tasks. Send text messages, but only to friends. But now, I feel like an old boat without a sail, hopelessly adrift.

A few of my clients have set me up on their corporate Google e-mail. Sometimes I receive an e-mail to the Google account, and sometimes to my Comcast address. I am never quite sure how to respond, or which account to check first. (Yes, I did ask said clients for preference, but the advice never came)

Other clients have set up project sites to share information and tasks. But again, it's hard to know, when to use that site versus simply, e-mail.

And then there's Twitter and Facebook. Should I DM her or retweet? Send him a Facebook message or write on his wall? I have many contacts in LinkedIn who are not close acquaintances. Should I e-mail them through LinkedIn, or send them a note to their work email? Maybe I should just pick up the damn phone.

Call me a Web 2.0 Luddite, but how many hours a week am I wasting trying to figure out which contact method to use? Those brain cells could be used more efficiently, such as, to write something magical for a client.

How do you deal with the "communications" challenge? Please, don’t tell me I need another tool.

You can reach me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google, and Skype. And oh, email.