The compulsive need to check your device . . . and in the process harm productivity, the ability to focus, and have healthy relationships. Who said one can’t have too much information? But is that too much a good thing? Not according to studies . . . and to people who would rather look you in the eyes instead of at the top of your head while trying to have a conversation.
What’s with this ever-growing (and drowning) wave of electronic obsession? I’m mystified, coming from a generation where electronic meant stuffing double A batteries into a transistor radio in hopes of picking up AM signals from WLS out of Chicago to listen to new singles from the Rolling Stones and the Monkeys. Now everything electronic talks back to you, calls you, anticipating your wants and needs before you even express them. Studies have a name for it: Variable Intermittent Rewards. Say what? Your cell phone chimes. Who could it be? That special someone? That twentieth robocall of the morning? What happens if you ignore it and it was important? Electronic media is as addictive as gambling –praying upon that chance that you “might” win, but you don’t know when that fosters an expectation to keep coming back, over and over to check, just in case this might be your lucky day.
Beeps and buzzes of electronic messages trigger the brain - a type of arousal by reward and reinforcement (Hello, Pavlov! Ding, ding!).
Is this what we’ve become? Enjoy one of my favorite songs by inserting “Media” for “Radio” in the following clip . . .
So how do we resist that constant ping or ring when media lures our attention away from work, from play, from honest one-on-one conversation? Is there a downside to all the fun of Words with Friends, Facetime, scrolling, surfing, messaging, memes, and fact checking? What’s the harm, you might ask? Plenty. You might be surprised to find out how much you’re missing when piecemealing your attention instead of being actively in the moment.
Addicted to that chime? Frustrated, over-stressed, can’t concentrate? Have a free hour to get in some writing time but tend to spend it surfing YouTube or lose an hour chuckling over historical names for male anatomy? Here are some simple solutions to reclaiming your focus.
1. Avoiding temptation is easier than resisting – but even thinking about checking phone messages without caving in is a distraction. The result is almost the same. In an experiment, office workers had phones face down on desk, in their bag/desk, or in another room. Those who had their cell on desk fared the worst, tempted by the mere presence a distraction. So . . .
2. Take device-free breaks – downtime is important, so use break-time to get away from it ALL, i.e. get back outside into nature, walk or stretch, listening to music, get up and get coffee or water, eat lunch. Letting your mind wander promotes creative thought and leads to those “Ah Ha” moments that can’t find their way through pathological scrolling (mine are always when I’m driving!).
What’s with this ever-growing (and drowning) wave of electronic obsession? I’m mystified, coming from a generation where electronic meant stuffing double A batteries into a transistor radio in hopes of picking up AM signals from WLS out of Chicago to listen to new singles from the Rolling Stones and the Monkeys. Now everything electronic talks back to you, calls you, anticipating your wants and needs before you even express them. Studies have a name for it: Variable Intermittent Rewards. Say what? Your cell phone chimes. Who could it be? That special someone? That twentieth robocall of the morning? What happens if you ignore it and it was important? Electronic media is as addictive as gambling –praying upon that chance that you “might” win, but you don’t know when that fosters an expectation to keep coming back, over and over to check, just in case this might be your lucky day.
Beeps and buzzes of electronic messages trigger the brain - a type of arousal by reward and reinforcement (Hello, Pavlov! Ding, ding!).
Is this what we’ve become? Enjoy one of my favorite songs by inserting “Media” for “Radio” in the following clip . . .
So how do we resist that constant ping or ring when media lures our attention away from work, from play, from honest one-on-one conversation? Is there a downside to all the fun of Words with Friends, Facetime, scrolling, surfing, messaging, memes, and fact checking? What’s the harm, you might ask? Plenty. You might be surprised to find out how much you’re missing when piecemealing your attention instead of being actively in the moment.
Addicted to that chime? Frustrated, over-stressed, can’t concentrate? Have a free hour to get in some writing time but tend to spend it surfing YouTube or lose an hour chuckling over historical names for male anatomy? Here are some simple solutions to reclaiming your focus.
- Put your phone out of sight – the further away the better
- Install distraction-blockers during work or social hour. Check out: Cold Turkey (getcoldturkey.com), Self Control (selfcontrolapp.com) or Freedom (Freedom.to)
- Turn off all unnecessary notifications or rethink what IS necessary
2. Take device-free breaks – downtime is important, so use break-time to get away from it ALL, i.e. get back outside into nature, walk or stretch, listening to music, get up and get coffee or water, eat lunch. Letting your mind wander promotes creative thought and leads to those “Ah Ha” moments that can’t find their way through pathological scrolling (mine are always when I’m driving!).
3. Get a watch (one that’s not smarter than you!) or a clock to check the time so you don’t get seduced by message notifications. Design your environment to be less distracting.
4. Quit trying to multitask. Media multitaskers are worse at focusing and filtering out irrelevant information, leading to lower accuracy and making tasks take longer to complete. Facebook multitasking has been linked to lower grades. Put your attention into one place/thing at a time and devote yourself to it. (Check out: positiveroutines.com /single-tasking-productivity/)
5. Set limits – Draw the line. On call at work? – make it a policy of no work emails after 6:00 p.m.. Enforce a ‘no devices at the table’ at home, lunch, and when eating out where your focus should be on food and conversation. I put my phone on the charger upstairs when I get home from work, checking it occasionally, not obsessively unless I’m expecting an important call. Taking time out to socialize with fellow humans in the flesh can improve work performance. When my critique group meets, we don’t allow web surfing or phone scrolling so we can give all our creative energies and attention to one another. Do writing sprints where you ban distraction to concentrate on your WIP.
6. Practice mindfulness – Don’t get time sucked in. Open YouTube or Facebook and . . . where did the time go? Train yourself to maintain focus and awareness via mindful breathing practice to keep your thoughts from wandering and to better regulate your attention span. (check out: mindfulroutine.com / ?=mindfulness)
Give your friends, your task, your associates your full attention. Nothing is more distracting or insulting then constantly sneaking glances at your phone screen while having a conversation. Give it your all and give media a rest. You’re not going to miss anything. Those cat videos will still be there later. Can you say the same about that moment you’re ignoring?
♚♚♚♚♚
Nancy Gideon on the Web
2 comments:
Transistor radios--a blast from the past, only I tuned in to Detroit Tigers games. We stopped answering our landline because of the robocalls. If I don't know the caller (Siri announces it. lol), I don't answer my cell either. If it's important, they'll leave a message. I turned off notifications from social media on my cell. Maybe I still need to put the phone farther away.
I have a game on my phone that my younger grandkids love. Alphabet with Elmo. The twins call my cell Elmo. I had trouble closing the game--until the almost-2-yr old did it. OMG, that's too young to figure out cell phones. (BTW, I do limit how much time the kids can play while I'm babysitting. Elmo needs a nap; the phone is sleeping. Maybe all our phones need a nap.
Great tips! It's so hard to avoid interruptions from all our 'gadgets'. Working remotely has made it even harder to disconnect and just enjoy the moment.
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