We live in a world dominated by digital devices.
Whether you are riding on a train, relaxing in a coffee shop or simply standing in a queue the chances are you’re checking your Samsung, iPhone or tablet.
Gone are the days when we only had one electronic channel – email.
Today we have Facebook, iMessenger, Twitter, Snapchat, WhatsApp and WeChat……these are just some of the fragmented ways we communicate electronically in our busy lives. Yet it’s hard to believe this has only been the case for the last 10 years or so!
While there are undisputed benefits of these new forms of communication, they have also given rise to a number of issues:
Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) – Identified as a new psychological condition, particularly affecting Millennials.
Digital Distraction – Recent research by Cal Newport, an associate professor at Georgetown University in his book, Deep Work he explains how ‘busyness’ is fooling us into a false sense of productivity.
Senders Remorse – Replying too quickly and regretting it afterwards (we’ve all been there!)
So what’s the solution? A number of my Executive Coaching clients have discovered the antidotes:
1. Don’t check your messages until 9am – Instead of checking your messages before you get out of bed (yes it does happen!) spend time focusing on what’s important to you… strategic objectives, planning the day ahead.
2. Disconnect for a while – A study by Harvard Business School appears to confirm this is a good strategy. A group of executives were disconnected from their devices for one day a week and found that job satisfaction, communication quality, learning and customer service all increased.
3. Set Boundaries and stick to them – Clearly separate your work from family and social time (especially at weekends) and rigorously stick to your self-imposed limits.
As an Executive Coach, I help my clients to be more productive at work and get better results.
If you would like to receive some real life case studies detailing how I have helped clients please contact me via my website or private message me here on LinkedIn