Unplug For Productive Performance
If you discovered you were addicted to drugs (including alcohol and nicotine), gambling, or sex, what would you do? Or even if you didn’t think you were addicted exactly, but you thought your usage was too heavy and interfering with your life?
Would you try to cut back? Get some help from a professional or 12-step-type group? Find someone who had the same problem and ask how they solved it? Research it online to see what the available options are?
You’d probably do something. Particularly if the addiction was getting in the way of your professional performance.
So why don’t you do something about your cellphone addiction?
This week is a great time to try something, whether you’re pretty sure you’re addicted or whether you’re just concerned that heavy usage is getting in the way of your goals. (A small study of professionals by HBR showed that about half of them met phone addiction criteria.) March 7 is the National Day of Unplugging, and doing so for just one day is a great place to start.
Why phones get in the way of performance and improving your productivity
Like many other substances, phones provide short-term relief from stress or emotional issues, but long-term heavy usage can be harmful. Studies show that just having your phone near you when you’re trying to work can decrease your ability to think, make decisions, and employ solid emotional intelligence.
Not to mention that all the notifications break your concentration and decrease your ability to focus for longer periods of time. If you use your phone at night, it’s harder to detach from your business and enjoy time with family and friends. This also drains your productivity tank so your performance the next day is subpar – just as if you didn’t get enough sleep.
Are there benefits to cellphones? Absolutely. I use mine every day for one reason or another. Though I do not use it to check social media (I only have those sites on my laptop) or order anything online, and I have all notifications turned off. In other words, I have boundaries around how I use the phone so it doesn’t degrade my performance.
No matter how glued you are to your phone, it’s worth untethering yourself and creating boundaries that work for you. Not only will your productivity improve, but you’ll also be capable of nurturing close connections because you’ll be able to really pay attention to the person you’re talking to.
Are you addicted to your cellphone?
The HBR article lists some things to consider if you’re worried you have a problematic relationship with your phone. It’s similar to the questionnaires they provide at 12-step meetings to help people come to grips with reality. If your phone usage is getting in the way of you leading a healthy life and successful business, you have a problem.
Any of the following can signify a need to reconsider your phone relationship:
At work, you’re constantly distracted from what you’re doing by phone notifications
You feel like you can’t think clearly due to all the distractions
You pick up your phone often at random moments or when you’re bored
You have a need to check your phone, even if there haven’t been any notifications or updates
You feel like you’re missing a body part when you don’t have your phone
You feel anxious, irritated, annoyed, or scared when you realize your forgot your phone
You use your phone to dial down your emotions or numb them
After using your phone, you feel lonely, stressed, or anxious
How to improve productivity and performance with phone boundaries
Some substances are easier to go without, because they’re wholly unnecessary. Think booze, cigarettes, cocaine, etc. (Though if you’re a heavy user, you might have to taper off rather than go cold turkey for safety reasons.) But you can lead a perfectly normal life without any of these substances.
Like food, coming off heavy phone usage is a bit trickier. (Though you could get a dumb phone instead of a smart one, so all you can do on it is make calls.) It is safer to have a phone on you, just in case, so not using a phone at all (just like not eating food) is not an option.
You’ll also need to put boundaries in place for the future, so you don’t go back to your phone automatically the next time you’re feeling bad or just bored. Take control of your time and attention back, rather than letting the purveyors of the attention economy direct your thoughts and actions.
You might consider things like:
When to allow notifications (never is perfectly fine, BTW, but you can start smaller as long as you start)
When phones should go into a basket (like after work when you’re having a family dinner)
Which apps need to be on your phone and which to uninstall
Times when it’s OK for people to call/text you and times when it’s not (such as your focus time at work)
How you’ll carry it (some place other than your pocket, where it’s hard to reach, unless you have a loved one in the hospital or similar emergency where you really do need to answer it quickly)
Where it gets charged (NOT in your bedroom – your phone shouldn’t be anywhere near your bed)
When to completely unplug (every week, maybe on the weekend)
Once you’ve chosen some boundaries, what do you need to be able to stick to them? For example, if you’ve been charging your phone in the bedroom because you use it for an alarm, go to the store and get yourself an alarm clock. They’re very cheap.
How will you relieve stress if you won’t be scrolling through “social” media feeds all the time? Take a walk, talk to a friend, play with your pets, …?
It’s OK to start slow, especially if your phone is practically glued to your hand. Try one day of unplugging and see how it goes. At first, yes, you might miss it. But what do you get in return? A chance to actually enjoy your walk in the park? Really hear your friends when you go out to lunch? Spot the turtle in the yard that bears the sign “Beware of Attack Turtle”? (True story.)
As with all addictions, you’ll learn to forego the easy, short-term dopamine boost to a better, healthier relationship with your phone… that also will help you build healthier relationships with the people in your life. (And improve your focus and attention at work.)
Recap (tl;dr)
Phone addiction is real, and will negatively impact your performance. Create some boundaries, unplug once in a while, and enjoy the control you have over your own time and attention.
Need to create better boundaries for a healthier business? Click here to set up your free consultation.
Photo by Yura Fresh on Unsplash.