How Incessant Phone Notifications Damage Your Productivity
So far as trends go, multitasking is out and monotasking is in. That’s right, recent research shows that committing to one activity is far more efficacious than managing four different things at once.
Easy as it sounds, monotasking is being increasingly difficult these days, what with all the constant buzzing and ringing emanating from your mobile phone. Here lies a cesspool of status update alerts, e-mail notifications and text messages. Your focus is bound to get blurred.
The solution? Turn them all off.
Why Do We Check Our Phones so Frequently?
What with studies showing that some people check their phones up to 150 times a day, it is imperative we know why. Apparently, this feeling arises from the need to feel connected and although it sounds counter-intuitive, to alleviate stress.
Studies at Baylor University concluded that obsessive phone checking helped people lighten their mood and thereby lessen any stress or anxiety. Another one at Alto University (Finland) revealed that receiving notifications when checking your phone kicks off a reward loop in your brain, which prompts you to cyclically check your phone hungry for more notifications, which the brain considers as rewards. The two studies proved that phone checking was concomitant with a dopamine response, which provided temporary gratification.
The constant fear of missing out and the consequent need for approval is only natural but the solution to either doesn’t lie within your phone. Rather, the only effect from persistently checking your phone is your productivity levels plummeting.
What’s The Cost?
Your focus and clarity are at stake here. Consider the study conducted at Florida State University. Participants were made to take a test that measured their attention span, first without their phones next to them and then again with the phones, while the researchers kept pinging their phones and monitoring the results. Unsurprisingly, the participants scored better without their phones next to them. More interesting was the fact that they didn’t have to actually look at their phones for it to influence their performance- just the vibration from the phone was enough when it was on silent mode.
Work when you work, play when you play
If you look into it, phone checking is essentially just jumping from one task to a completely different one-something that is termed content switching, which is known to affect productivity. It may take as long as half an hour to regain focus on what you were working on before you context switched. Another scenario could be if you’re conversing with someone and you compulsively check your phone. This illustrates your lack of interest and attention, which the other person will pick up immediately.
When you turn off your phone notifications, you determinedly make the decision to allot time for work and leisure. This way, during work time, you know your notifications are still there and that you can check on them during free time.
Help Is En Route
Try as you might, you’re still not able to nip the buzzing in the bud? Then test these apps that’ll do it for you.
This app allows you to set specific time frames during which it temporarily disables notifications. Additionally, it lets you create categories for “family” or “work” so that you can prioritise. Offtime also records the statistical particulars about your phone usage, in case you need to self-assess.
Features in Flipd are similar to those of Offtime. Furthermore, Flipd is equipped with a custom lock screen controlled by a timer. You can also customize emergency contacts. Another interesting facet is that it links you with the other users and lets you compete with/against them through different challenges.
Moment (iOS only)
What this app does is to set limits on your data usage, exceeding which will lead to your screen blanking out. Moreover, it reminds you to set your phone aside and take it easy.
It’s worthwhile to give any of these tips a shot. The key is to fully engage in whatever it is you’re doing presently. So if you’re checking your phone in your free time, then do that without worrying about work, and when you’re working, be completely absorbed by the assignment in front of you. In this way, you won’t have to compromise on your productivity levels.
This is a handwritten article by one of the experts at InterviewBuddy. InterviewBuddy connects students, job seekers & people looking to scale their career with elite industry experts to practice interviewing.
