Micro Tech Systems - March 2020

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March 2020

Reading to Learn My Complex Relationship With Reading

I’ve never been much of a reader, other than out of necessity. I read in school, of course, and when I first began working at MicroTech, I began my own school of sorts, diving into textbooks full of tech lingo and methods. I didn’t have much of a tech background when I joined the company, so I had to study my butt off. I was just trying to learn as much as I could. About 10 years ago, I realized I wasn’t learning much anymore. I’ve always enjoyed learning, but since I didn’t have anything I “had” to learn anymore, I hadn’t cracked open many books or dug into something new. As I was being reintroduced to books again, I realized that many of the members of my peer group, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, were also readers. That had a big influence on my choices. Like many business owners, I primarily read business books. I often receive a lot of grief at the MicroTech Systems offices for having “self- help” books tucked under my arm, but I don’t see these as self-help books per se. Instead, I see them as an opportunity to learn about myself or a new technique and grow as a person and leader. Sure, some books are better than others, but each one has been worth reading. My family and I were big into audiobooks for a while. In fact, when my middle daughter would play in volleyball tournaments across the neighboring states, we used audiobooks to pass the time. It’s embarrassing to admit now, but we’d be cruising along the interstate

with a teen novel playing through the speakers. She’d be into it. I was into it. We’d get to the hotel and have to turn the book on one of our phones to finish the chapter. We just had to know what happened! That was always a fun time. After that, I had an audiobook habit when I had a long commute from the MicroTech Systems office. I would usually listen to a whole chapter or two — or even the occasional podcast — before and after work. My shorter commute and lofty Amazon bills from buying audiobooks put a stop to that. But lately, I’ve felt less desire to open the business books I so casually read before. My wife pointed out that it wouldn’t hurt me to pick up something just for fun, but I still have that itch to learn. I’ve always been big on other people’s stories and learning about their lives. I read a biography about Benjamin Franklin once and learned that he was quite an astute businessman. That was amazing to me, and I loved reading that book. Maybe those are the kinds of books I need to read more often. I have a unique relationship with reading, to say the least. I enjoy reading for a purpose and getting something out of the books I choose. As long as I find the topic interesting and I can learn, I will keep turning the pages.

–Randy Amorebieta

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HEADS OR TAILS? The Scientifically Smarter Way to Make Business Decisions

You have two options in front of you. They both sound great, are backed by research, and could transform your business for the better, but you can only choose one. Which do you commit to? When you’re faced with two equally worthwhile options, science says the best way to make a decision is to flip a coin. When you flip a coin, you’re not really leaving the decision up to chance; you’re actually calling on your intuition to guide you. The practice is often regarded as unscientific, but there’s a lot of research to support making intuitive decisions. Friederike Fabritius and Hans W. Hagemann, authors of “The Leading Brain: Neuroscience Hacks to Work Smarter, Better, Happier,” explain how we develop that “gut feeling.” Intuitive decisions are driven by two structures in your brain: the basal ganglia and the insula. The basal ganglia are connected to movement and building habits. The insula, part of the cerebral cortex, becomes engaged when you experience pain, feel love, listen to music, or even enjoy a piece of chocolate. Neuroscientists believe the insula is responsible for self-awareness, particularly for recognizing changes in your body.

When you have to solve a problem, your basal ganglia start working on a solution, even if you aren’t consciously thinking about it. If you make a conscious decision that agrees with the subconscious solution of your basal ganglia, your brain gives off a subtle reward. The decision doesn’t have to be logical to feel right — that’s your gut feeling. However, if the conscious and subconscious parts of your brain don’t agree, your insula detects the discrepancy and registers a threat. It’s the “I have a bad feeling about this” response. Fabritius and Hagemann note that gut feelings “represent the most efficient use of your accumulated experience.” According to the authors, flipping a coin is the best way to really listen to your basal ganglia and insula. Your subconscious brain has already made a decision; flipping a coin helps you test your intuition about each option. If the coin lands on heads and you feel relieved, then heads is the right choice. However, if the coin lands on tails and you’re uncertain or want to flip again, then that’s your intuition saying the other option is the better choice. So, the next time you’re caught in a pickle, grab the nearest quarter and put your intuition to the test. See What Our Customers Are Saying “I think MicroTech is great! Each time we have any issues, they are on top of fixing it right away! I definitely recommend using their services!”

CELEBRATE!

We wouldn’t be able to provide 5-star IT service without our dedicated team at MicroTech Systems! And no one is quite as dedicated as Derek Hunt, who is celebrating 13 years on the MicroTech team. Thank you for your commitment to our customers and quality service, Derek!

–Meg & Parker

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ADecade of Pushing the Limits

HOW TECH CHANGED FROM 2010–2019

In its infancy, the new decade has a promising outlook for the future of technology. But before we can begin to predict what will change in 2020, we have to go back in time and look at how this past decade advanced the industry. Apple broke onto the scene early in the decade by introducing the iPad, a tablet designed to offer the same full functions of a laptop. Though critics warned the iPad was just an oversized iPhone, those warnings didn’t stop consumers. About 8.8 million of the 9.7 million tablets sold in 2010 were iPads.

and its connection to the cloud pushed this >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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