Unless you’re a doctor on call, that text message can wait.
Did you know that some cities are projecting red and green lights on sidewalks? Yes, we’ve really come to that. Walk on any sidewalk, anywhere, and everyone is looking down at their phones—even when they’re crossing the street. That’s just plain dangerous.
We live in a society ruled by the FOMO (fear of missing out). And this digital dependence is taking a toll on our brains.
We all acknowledge that 18-hour workdays slow down our productivity and increase our stress. That’s been researched, just in case anyone didn’t know that just from experience. But still we stare at screens around the clock. Our health suffers, our personal lives suffer, and ultimately, our business lives suffer.
Is it really cool to be “on” all the time and always in crisis? Sure, those of us in sales have quotas to meet. But when we work to the point of exhaustion, we no longer think clearly, miss buyer cues, and lose deals.
What’s the alternative? Check out “Stop Letting Modern Distractions Steal Your Attention” by Anna Goldfarb. This well-researched article discusses the threats of always being available, and the power of going offline and not being reachable. I bet you can do it!
Stop Letting Modern Distractions Steal Your Attention
By Anna Goldfarb
When David Rock needs to immerse himself in his work, he goes offline. Being reachable, he knows, will tank his productivity.
In fact, Dr. Rock, the C.E.O. of The Neuroleadership Institute and author of “Your Brain at Work,” was able to write four books during several flights to and from Australia. He credits the long stretches of uninterrupted time with granting him the ability to fully concentrate on assembling those book drafts.
Sure, not everyone can hop a 13-hour flight to Australia when they need to finish a project. But the lesson Dr. Rock learned is applicable regardless: Making ourselves inaccessible from time to time is essential to boosting our focus. A 2017 survey from the American Psychological Association found that being constantly and permanently reachable on an electronic device — checking work emails on your day off; continuously cycling through social media feeds; responding to text messages at all hours — is associated with higher stress levels.
(Read the rest of the article here.)
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