digital distraction self-assessment · and disable temporarily, or unplug your network connector or...
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DigitalDistractionSelf-Assessment Circlethenumberthatmostcloselyrepresentsyournormalbehavioursregardingthestatements:
(0 = Never, 3 = Sometimes, 6 = Always)
Statements Score
• When interrupted from a task, I have a hard time getting back to it.
• I get irritated when others interrupt my online sessions.
• I am defensive or secretive about my technology activities.
• When trying to pay attention to something, I can be easily distracted by other things going around me.
• I get easily restless when I sit in one place for too long without access to my technology.
• I find myself doing three or more tasks at a time (e.g., checking email, talking to someone, writing).
• When someone is talking with me, I find it difficult to sustain eye contact.
• I spend my day sitting at my desk with my computer or sitting on the sofa watching TV.
• I make mistakes, misplace items, or forget important information.
• I find it difficult to relax and unwind without using technology.
• When reading or listening to instructions, I tend to miss important details.
• People comment or complain about the time I spend on the internet, gaming, or using technology.
• I check my email or social media every few minutes throughout the day.
• I go online to escape uncomfortable feelings or situations.
• I can easily get bored if I’m engaged in only one activity.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
TOTAL:
Addupthescores.Assessthedegreeoffocusaccordingtothefollowingkey: 75–90Majorissue:technologyishavinganegativeimpactyourqualityoflife 16–74Moderateissue:maywanttoconsiderchangingsomeofyourhabits 0–15 Notamajorissue:ahealthyandbalanceduseoftechnology
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Multitasking Activity
Multitasking is just a myth
1. 2.
3. 4.
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Your Cortical Energy Reserves
Whatkindsofactivitiesdoyouengageinthatdepleteyourenergyreserves?
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The Focus Zone
ExamplesofactivitiesthatIdothatareunder-stimulating,optimalstimulating,andover-stimulating:
UNDER OPTIMAL OVER
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Managing Digital Distractions Theabilitytodisconnectfromdigitalandmultitaskingdistractionsisanintegralpartoffocusing.It’sverydifficultformanypeople,becausebeingconnectionanddistractedisaddictive.Therearevaryingstrategies,listedbelow.Itissuggestedyouexperiment,andfindamethodthatfitsyourneedsandsituationbest.
Limittimeonemail.Schedulepre-determinedtimesinyourdaytocheckyouemail.Theresearchsuggeststhancheckingnomorethanthreetimesdailypreventsaddictivepatternsfromforming.Setatimerandgiveyourself45minutestodoemail,Twitter,Facebook,IM,etc.Ifneeded,thenuseaninternetblockertoblockthesedistractionsforacoupleofhours(upto3-4hours)whileyoufocusonasingletaskatatime.It’sadvisablenottostartyourworkdaybycheckingemail,sinceittendstothroughoneofftheirfocus.Forexample,ifcheckingemailthreetimesaday,oncouldcheckat10:30am,2:30pm,and4:30pm.Closeallunnecessaryapplicationsoruseblockingsoftware.Whenworkingwithacomputerapplication,shutdownallunnecessaryapplicationsandprograms(especiallyyouremail!).Ifyoustrugglewiththis,youcanchooseasoftwareprogramtoshutyourselfofffromtheinternet,oratleastfromthemostdistractingportionsofit.Forexample,youcanusesoftwaretoblockyourwebemail,Twitter,favoritenewssites,blogs,etc.,orblockallinternetbrowsingentirely.Alternatively,gotoyourconnectionssettingsanddisabletemporarily,orunplugyournetworkconnectororcable,orturnoffyourwirelessrouter.
Takeregularbreaks.Theresearchsuggeststhatafterabout47minutesyouroptimalperformancebeginstodecline,soitagoodtimetotakea13minutebreakawayfromyourtask(andavoidanydigitaldevice).Youmayfindthattheconnectedperiodbecomesarewardfordoinggood,focusedwork.
Leaveyourmobiledevicebehind,orshut-off.Whenyou’reonthego,youdon’talwaysneedtobeconnected.Ifyou’redriving,shutoffyourdevice.Ifyou’remeetingwithsomeone,turnoffthedevicesoyoucanfocusonthatpersoncompletely.Ifyou’reoutwithyourfamilyorfriendsandnotworking,leavethedeviceathome.Youdon’tneedthispersonaltimetobeinterruptedbyworkoryourimpulsetocheckonthings.
Haveascheduledtimetodisconnecteachday.It’slikesettingofficehoursifyou’reaprofessor—yousetthetimesthatworkbestforyou,andyoucanevenletpeopleknowaboutthesetimes.Let’ssayyouaredisconnectedfrom8-10a.m.eachday,or4-5p.m.,orevenanytimeafter2p.m.Tellpeopleyourpolicy,sotheyknowyouwon’tbeavailableforemailorIM.Andusethistimetothinkdeeplyaboutimportantissues,brainstorm,orjustcreate.
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Keepyourworkatwork.Agoodpolicyistoleaveyourworkbehind,whenyou’redonewithwork,andabetterpolicyistostaydisconnectedduringthattime,orworkandbrowsingwillcreepintotherestofyourlife.Drawalineinthesand,andsay,“After5pm(orwhatever),Iwon’tbeconnected,I’llfocusonmyfamilyandmyotherpriorities.”Trynottoworkatallathome,orifyoudoworkathomeensureit’sinaseparatelocationfromwhereyoutakeyourleisure.
Spendtimeoutdoors.Leaveyourdevicesbehindandgoforawalk,orarun,orabikeride.Enjoynature.Researchhasshownthatbeinginnaturehelpsrestoreyourneuronalcircuits.Takethetimetorechargeyourbatteries,reflectandcontemplate.
NOTES:
Copyright2019MohapelConsultingLtd.2209VancouverStreet,Victoria,[email protected]
SUGGESTED READING LIST Frances Booth (2013). The Distraction Trap: How To Focus In A Digital World. Pearson Education Ltd. Shaahin Cheyene (2012). How the Internet Is Changing Our Brain: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shaahin-cheyene/internet-brain_b_1248845.html
Nicholas Carr (2010). The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing To Our Brains. W.W. Norton & Company. David Dillard-Wright (2011). Meditation for Multitaskers: A Guide to Finding Peace between the Pings. Adams Media.
Duke, K., Ward, A., Gneezy, A., & Bos, M. (2018). Having Your Smartphone Nearby Takes a Toll on Your Thinking. Harvard business Review: https://hbr.org/2018/03/having-your-smartphone-nearby-takes-a-toll-on-your-thinking
Victoria L. Dunckley (2014). Gray Matters: Too Much Screen Time Damages the Brain: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mental-wealth/201402/gray-matters-too-much-screen-time-damages-the-brain
Ronald Epstein (2017). Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, & Humanity. Simon & Schuster. Adam Gazzaley & Larry D. Rosen (2016). The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World. The MIT Press. William Powers (2010). Hamlet's Blackberry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age. Harper Perennial. Newport, C. (2016). Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Grand Central Publishing.
Gary Small (2009). iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind. Harper Paperbacks. Dario Salvucci & Niels Taatgen (2010). The Multitasking Mind. Oxford University Press. Greg Wells & Bruce Bowser (2018). The Focus Effect: Change Your Work, Change Your Life. Lioncrest Publishing.