Technology gives us the opportunity to be “always on” and the illusion of increased productivity. The reality is that it’s not healthy, and over the long run you will be less productive.
Even understanding this, it can be hard to resist the pressure to quickly check email or whip off a quick response, especially if you believe your boss or customers will be unhappy if you don’t respond immediately.
To ensure your continued good health, productivity and positive relationships, confront your beliefs about being indispensable, negotiate new expectations around how quickly you need to respond, and make intentional decisions to create “off time.”
These 7 habits can help you turn off technology for a more tuned in life.
1. Stop multi-tasking. Many people view the ability to multi-task as an admirable skill. They believe they are able to accomplish more. But studies have shown that you actually accomplish less and do it less well. The illusion of productivity comes at the expense of performance effectiveness. The less you multi-task, the less you’ll be tempted to slip a little work in.
2. Change your mindset. Identify what you consider “work” and consider everything else “off.” “Off” can be when you’re with your family, at dinner with friends, or even taking a walk by yourself. During “off” time, don’t even think about work. Put your full attention on who you’re with and what you’re doing.
3. Set up a backup strategy. Sometimes, things will just pop up even when you’re not thinking about work. So what do you do with the important ideas that pop up while you’re “off”? Do NOT pull out your mobile device and make a quick call or send a quick text. It’s guaranteed to pull you away from who you are with. Try to trust that if it’s important enough, the thought will reoccur. As a backup, keep a piece of paper or card in your wallet. If you get a brilliant idea that you can’t afford to forget, jot down a few key words… and then put it away.
4. Schedule “off” time. Set and honor specific times that are dedicated to being with family or friends and, also being alone doing things you enjoy. Structure comes more easily for some than others. If you’re one of the people who doesn’t like structure, it’s even more important for you to do this, so you can be intentional about creating the life you really want.
5. Just say, “no.” Let people know that you are changing your habits and are not going to respond to text and email or answer your phone for work related matters during personal time unless there is a true emergency. If they understand this ahead of time, most people will respect your boundaries. They will begin to schedule meetings during times you’re available, and you will discover that many so-called emergencies are not as urgent as they seem at first.
6. Pay attention to your breathing. Focusing on your breathing brings your attention away from your thoughts and back to what is immediately present. During “off time,” occasionally notice how you’re breathing. If your breath is rapid and located high in your chest, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Spend a moment focused on your breathing until you are breathing slowly and from a deeper place, which is how we breathe when we are relaxed.
7. Be clear about your priorities. Create a clear vision for what you truly desire and what’s most important to you that explains where you’re going and what you value most. It’s tempting to say “yes” to every request, but it comes at a cost. It will help you know when to say “yes” and when to say “no” if you know what your priorities are.
“Just because technology makes it possible to be always available,
doesn’t mean you should be.”
Great post Jesse, so necessary for mental and spiritual health! I might add that vacations with time away from the wired world are important for leaders, and the ones I know who take this to heart are are diligent about it. They realize the world won’t fall apart in their absence and it’s a development opportunity for others to fill in the gaps at work in their absence.
Thanks, Mary Jo. You raise a great point about the value of taking real vacations. Unfortunately, unless we are disciplined about staying unplugged while on vacation, it’s way too easy to sneak a peek at email and slip back into dealing with issues. It’s so sad to see a parent at a place like Disney World talking on their phone instead of enjoying this precious time with their children.
Very timely – was coaching someone today and asked him how much he looks at his mobile device and does he ever shut it off – work and the device. I will share this article with him. Thanks
Thanks, Cindy. Hope it resonates with the person you were coaching. These habits are helpful when you understand the seductivity of technology and have a desire to regain control of your time. But first you need to see the need to change.
When I started a two-day senior executive retreat for a client, we began on the ground. Literally: yoga mats, eyes closed, deep breathing. 45 minutes. No technology. Just REAL BIRD tweets! When they left, it was amazing how many said that one of the things they wanted to take back into their workplace was this practice of mindfulness! Don’t know if they did it but… turning off does help you to tune in.
Once again, Thanks, Jesse
Great point, Eileen. So many people think taking time off is wasting time, but as your story clearly demonstrates, see the value after experiencing it. Even if your execs don’t practice on a regular basis, they now understand the value of tuning in and turning off and might even seek out other ways to incorporate it into their lives. Keep up the great work, Eileen!
This is great. In the past I have been so reactive to emails and my phone. Over the last few months I have learned to turn my phone and emails off cor a couple of hours in the morning and the same in the afternoon. if there is a matter of life an death then my husband or daughter or colleagues are contactable as well. I am so much more productive! Thank you for this post, it is a reminder that I am on the right track.
You are definitely on the right track, Mandy. Much thanks for sharing your approach here. Helpful and inspiring!
Absolutely critical post Jesse
Thank you
A large portion of the clients I coach are suffering from a ‘must check, recheck and re re check’ syndrome that just continues to pile up more stress. A mixture of fear, uncertainty and anxiety seem to feed on each other and keep people in a hyper alert state. Like David Allen says ‘ You don’t need more time, you just need more space to figure out what must be done’ and that space comes from switching off, from just stopping, resetting and restarting the way one approaches their day. Simplify, simplify and simplify, that’s my mantra for my clients.
Great points about the relationship between always checking and stress. You describe the vicious cycle and the solution well. Thanks for deepening the conversation, Sridhar.
This is such an important reminder, something I know well but if I don’t consciously monitor it, I fall off the rails. While I steer clear of multitasking, I can often be victim to number three. Minding my own business, that good idea that pops up resulting me in jumping into action has been a distraction of my “off time” many a times. I guess I will stick to making a note, rather than engaging someone at that point in time.
Even when we know the issue and agree, it’s so easy to forget. That’s why having a backup strategy is so important. An old-fashioned small notepad and a pen can been a very helpful alternative to technology. Thanks for weighing in, Thabo. Nice to see you here.
Love these insightful, soul-searching truths. If we make these common practices, we will also like ourselves which creates a cycle that makes it easier to follow these success traits. I’ve made it my motto to focus on things I have, not on things I’ve lost; capitalize on things I can do, not on things I can not. It helps me anyway.
Thanks, Jane. Glad these thoughts resonated for you. And thanks for sharing your own motto. We do have a choice on where we focus our attention.
Hi Jesse
This is an important set of points you make here. I have found that I get more done when I focus on what is important and needs to be done first, secondary issues will always come up, but I have yet to find one that truly needed immediate attention. It is far better to get something done right and done well than to start a lot of things none of which ever are truly finished, because the best they end up is being mediocre.
I have seen far to many people destroy their lives and their families because they felt work couldn’t happen without them, and wouldn’t allow anyone else to take charge. Those attitudes are not only stupid, arrogant and ignorant, but down right dangerous. First they shorten their life span, by adding needless pressure to themselves, second they endanger their place of work because no one is allowed to develop to take their place, and sooner or later someone will have to (generally far sooner if your a type A). I have yet to meet anyone facing the end of their life that actually still felt work was important.
Excellent points – the importance of staying focused on your priorities and the dangers of thinking you’re indispensable. Thanks for deepening the conversation, Robert.
Most timely, Jesse Lyn. I’ve just finished reading Nancy Andreasen’s excellent article in the current The Atlantic, entitled Secrets of the Creative Brain: http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/06/secrets-of-the-creative-brain/372299/
As she points out: “When eureka moments occur, they tend to be precipitated by long periods of preparation and incubation, and to strike when the mind is relaxed.”
I favor the Don Draper approach, myself. Not drinking at work (easy for me, I can’t metabolize alcohol, lol), but carving out periods of time in the working day, just to lie down or sit back in a chair to think in a relaxed way. Invariably terrific ideas just come as a consequence. As Andreasen adds: “Creative people are better at recognizing relationships, making associations and connections, and seeing things in an original way–seeing things that others cannot see.” Those constitute “aha” moments for me.
Being relaxed and in the right frame of mind is key to that. Which is why find it so amusing that so many self-appointed “thought leaders” and suchlike appear to be on a content production treadmill, barely allowing the proverbial ink to have dried on their latest pronouncements before uploading yet another blog post or LinkedIn article. I truly believe that if more people tuned in to their inner selves by turning off on a regular basis we might find the material we’re being asked to read is considerably more unique and insightful.
As it is, I find myself tuning out and turning off and potentially missing out on the rare gems because there’s just such a bombardment of content being thrown at us all these days. Thankfully I know that you and Mary Jo Asmus and a few others are well worth paying attention to 🙂
Excellent post, as always.
Thanks for making the connection between off time and creativity, Liz. You make some excellent points. Much thanks for deepening the discussion.
Solid and simple good sense. I have been a recreation/leisure planner for 40 years. I define leisure (your “Off” experiences) as any freely-chosen experience unique to you in which you creatively express your natural talents and passions for the sheer joy of doing so”.
Keep up the good work Jesse!
What a lovely and fun definition – creative expression for the sheer joy of doing so. Thanks for sharing here, Peter!
This is a great overview of how to move yourself forward nowadays. It makes such a difference for example to (have the courage to) switch off one’s cellphones and tablet from time to time. Who watches television these days without looking at a smartphone or iPad? Who goes shopping without a phone switched on to be reached by the world? I’ve found out that it makes a huge difference in being able to relax and focus again to have switched off my cellphone when I am away and have a special phone with me just in case the children call me (my husband, my children and one friend only have that number). To recharge oneself, relax in order to stay focused and rest takes a lot more effort these days. Your article helps a lot to create the needed “how to-attention”.
A great description of the problem, and a reminder that it is a global problem. Thanks for weighing in from the Netherlands, Caroline!