Our ability to connect with others is phenomenal. People need that connection and we want
information. Near-constant availability offers unprecedented opportunities to do
so anytime, anywhere.
Too much information, however, can cause digital distraction and keep
us from getting important things done. We now know humans are pretty terrible
at multi-tasking and, once distracted, they take a long time to get back on
track.
My colleagues and I are applying the notion of ‘flow’, a concept
identified by renowned psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, to the
digital world. Csikszentmihalyi says ‘flow’ is a psychological state in which a
person is completely focused and absorbed by a task, unencumbered by
distractions. Elite runners, for example, often report losing track of time
while covering miles effortlessly.
So how do we achieve ‘flow’ in a digital world where the ever-growing
clamour of technology never lets us rest?
My colleagues from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Boston, the University
of Sydney and I discovered bankers with BlackBerrys were able to adapt and
change their behaviour over time to avoid the dreaded ‘CrackBerry’
syndrome. Overall, we are finding
technologies themselves are not the problem but individual and social learning
are necessary to find the right balance. See article.
Currently a team of researchers at the University of Auckland and a Singapore-based
technology partner, Unified Inbox, with software architects and developers in India, are monitoring user data
(with permission) from smartphones to analyse patterns of media use, such as
the proportion of email versus other social media. The aim is to help people monitor their media
use patterns to make choices to improve their performance and well-being.
One CEO who takes this seriously is Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, who
schedules up to two hours each day of blank space in his calendar. As Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism: The disciplined pursuit of
less, puts it: “For Jeff, creating space is more than just a practice. It is part of a broader philosophy. He has
seen the effects of the undisciplined pursuit of more in organisations and in
the lives of executives. So, for him,
it’s not a slogan or a buzz phrase. It’s
a philosophy.”
Another strong advocate of connecting with oneself in a world that
demands we stay connected to everyone and everything else is Arianna
Huffington, author of Thrive: The third
metric to redefining success and creating a happier life. She strongly
encourages successful people at all levels of the organisation to disconnect to
make better decisions. Huffington notes:
“Wherever we look around the world, we see smart leaders—in politics, in
business, in media—making terrible decisions.
What they’re lacking is not IQ, but wisdom…Being connected in a shallow
way to the entire world can prevent us from being deeply connected to those
closest to us—including ourselves. And
that is where wisdom is found.”
So, how does one find Zen-like ‘flow’ in a world of email obsession,
multiple streams of social media and other digital demands for our
attention? How does one disconnect, or
turn down the running tap? Here are a
few ideas:
1. First, develop a
personal philosophy of connectivity.
What does the ‘good life’ look like to you? Is it constantly surfing a surge of
information or sitting quietly sometimes and watching the stream flow by?
2. Once you have a
philosophy, set some simple rules. For
example, no ‘screens’ (smartphones, TV or tablets) one (or two) hours before
sleeping. No work emails on the
weekend. Take digital holidays. No phones at the dinner table, etc.
3. Conquer FOMO
(Fear of Missing Out). Think of no news or updates as a chance to relax, rather
than worry about what you’re missing.
The world revolves just fine without you at the centre.
4. Remember, email
is a social thing. Your inbox is full
(or not) because of how you and others interact together. You cannot solve email overload unless others
are also moderate in their use of the medium.
5. You first. Think about the example you are setting for
others who report to you. Do you email
mindless requests, copy everyone on everything and then wonder why your inbox
is over the top?
6. Write fewer,
better messages. Sending messages of
higher quality buys you some time. Your
thoughts are worth waiting for.
7. If three emails
can’t solve a problem, pick up the phone!
8. If something’s
really important, get on a plane. I once
met a project manager in Boston, who said if he didn’t have a reason to visit
his team members in Seattle every three months, he would make up an excuse and
go see them anyway.
9. Only ‘follow’
people you really care about. How many
food pictures do you really need?
10. Don’t treat your
phone like a rosary or worry beads. If
you’re nervous, smile at people instead of looking down. Make eye contact and
see how much more interesting life can be.
Plus, you may live longer by not stepping in front of a bus.
This post was previously published in the NZ Herald on 9 April 2015
