Social media can take over our work, so how can you take a digital detox in the workplace?
Our obsession with sharing posts and mindlessly scrolling through social media distracts us from our work.
In fact, staffing firm OfficeTeam found the average office employee in the US spends 56 minutes on their phone every day for a non-work activity in the workplace.
So how can we ‘switch off’ from social media while at work?
Here are our top 5 tips:
1. Find a lunch-time distraction
Members of our Project.esc community Facebook group recommend taking advantage of any workplace activities during your lunch break. Table tennis in break rooms can be a welcome switch off from mindlessly scrolling on Facebook. Alternatively, bring a book, magazine or crossword for your lunch break instead of mindlessly scrolling social media.
2. Turn your phone off for a short time – or use a productivity app
Turning your phone off for an hour can help you be more productive. You’ll get more work done if you stop checking your phone at every notification or email.
Not ready to turn off? Why not try the Miracle Timer app? Try to work solidly for twenty minutes and then take a five minute work break, as the app directs. Repeat this throughout the day and you’ll be more productive and spend less time glued to social media.
For other apps that can help increase productivity, look out for the app section in Issue 2 of Project.esc magazine.
3. Implement the phone stack rule
if you check your phone, you owe everyone a coffee!
The ‘phone stack’ is a popular social rule with couples and groups ignoring their phones went out for dinner.
Why not implement it at your desk or in work meetings?
You and your colleagues place your phones in a pile face down. Easy. The first to check their phone owes the rest of the ‘phone stack’ group a coffee, or lunch. Avoid your phone and you’ll avoid spending extra money on your colleagues!
4. Go outside
The average Brit spends 92% of the day inside, so why not go outside on your lunch break?
Going for a short walk with colleagues gives you the opportunity to catch up properly, instead of checking social media.
Alternatively, getting out of the office to do your ‘odd jobs’ gives you a digital break and refreshes you for the rest of your day.
5. Separate your work life from your personal life
German car manufacturer Volkswagen brought in a new company policy in 2012 banning employees from accessing their work emails outside of work hours, in an effort to separate employees’ work and personal lives and ultimately increase productivity.
If you leave personal messages for your own time, you’ll get more done at work. Hopefully this will mean you’ll have less work to do in your own time and more time to spend on activities you actually enjoy.
