How to REALISTICALLY Disconnect for Productivity
when you're on your phone, where are you, really?
I write for a living. Unless you never went to school or learned how to read (in which case, if you're reading this: you are a miracle), you know that writing is a process. You get waves of inspiration accompanied by long pauses of dead space. "What's the best way to phrase XYZ?" or "How do I make that transition less dorky?" You get it.
During those long pauses, I have developed a horrible habit of reaching for my phone.
It's GREAT to give your brain bursts of rest within long periods of being focused, whether you're a writer or not. It's NOT great to retreat to a completely mindless activity like scrolling Instagram, at least not where the brain is concerned. Social media isn't a mindful act—I guess you could say it's not an active rest for the brain. It lets you FEEL like you're turning off, but you're still bombarding your visual senses with an overwhelming amount of data. Not to mention it has some negative mental health effects. It is neither mindful, nor productive. Ironically, you are doing better for your overall productivity when you choose to do something seemingly non-productive like taking a nap, or meditating, or going for a brief walk.
But phones are wired to keep your attention.
The notifications chime to keep you coming back. They're backed by complicated algorithms that know exactly how and when to trigger your attention. It's a difficult dance; on the one hand you use your phone for productive means, but it's oh-so-easy to slide into the void. Before you know it, you've spent 20 minutes scrolling the feeds of people you don't even know and by the time you return to your work, your brain is still—maybe even more—fried. Seriously, next time you hear your phone go off, NOTICE how you react. Did it make you feel good? Nervous? Anxious? Whatever your reaction, does the fact that it was instant and intense scare the living crap out of you?! Samesies!
Let's kick the cycle.
We know it's important to disconnect, but how realistic is it, really? To actively engage in society we need our phones from time-to-time and many of our jobs require access to them. I think I may have found a way to disconnect without feeling entirely out of touch. It is based on intervals. The goal is to achieve a healthy balance of feeling like you CAN be on your phone, but also giving yourself conscious breaks away from it. Enter: "do not disturb" mode. It's one of my favorite features of the iPhone. If you don't have this option, you achieve the same effect by turning your phone on silent and flipping it so you can't see the screen.
1. Give yourself a time allotment.
Two hours is my favorite place to start. I commit to giving myself two hours of focused energy at a time. I use my computer's clock as a reference point (if I go over two hours, no big deal), I turn on "do not disturb," and I place my phone face-down or in another room. I like two hours because I don't freak out that if someone's trying to text me or call, I'll totally screw the pooch by not getting back to them in good time.
If you're at work and use your phone for communication: WHY are you doing that to yourself?! See if you can convince your team to use an app like Slack — and use it on your desktop only. Personally, I think giving yourself brief time-outs from chat groups, even for work, is extremely productive.
Maybe instead of two hours, give yourself twenty minute blocks of time where you do not chat with your team.
If your team freaks out when you don't respond within 30 seconds, give them a head's up that you need 20 minutes of interruption-free time to focus on a project. Who can argue with that?!
2. Within that time allotment, give yourself phone-free mental breaks.
You still need mental breaks, especially if you're taking a full two hours. It's easy to burn out if you don't take the time to let your brain breathe. When you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or when you enter whatever your version of 'writer's block' looks like, lean back in your chair and look around. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT REACH FOR YOUR PHONE. If the temptation is too great, put it in a drawer or otherwise out of sight.
3. How does it feel to allow yourself an active mental break?
This is the third—and I think most important—step: NOTICE how it feels to take a conscious break from your work. Take a few deep breaths: count the seconds on the inhale, try to exhale at the same speed. Notice the colors in the room around you. Notice the people. Notice where you are and when you are. Just be present for a few seconds. Do you like it? Hate it? Feel uncomfortable?
4. The trick here is to OWN being anti-productive.
A lot of us reach for our phones because it makes us look busy. It feels like a break, but looks like work. It tricks us into feeling productive to the point where we start justifying our actions with asinine phrases like, "I'm just scrolling to keep up with the world!" No, the world doesn't need to be helicoptered by you 24/7. ENJOY the feeling of doing nothing! This moment is YOURS. Don't let other people make you feel bad for it. Don't let YOURSELF make you feel bad for it. If you hate being alone with your thoughts, consider using this time to focus on a mantra or affirmation that speaks to you. It can be as simple as, "I deserve this time." If you go down the path of feeling bad for not being "productive," remind yourself that it IS. You're recharging your mind for ultimate productivity. Then, when you feel adequately recharged, turn back to the work at hand. How does it feel now?
5. When your time allotment is up, give yourself a few minutes on your phone.
No doubt you'll feel a little FOMO, and that's fine. Eventually, I think you'll find that being away from your phone feels a lot better than being attached to it. But it's easy to slide back into old patterns when you cold-turkey too quickly. So give yourself some time to enjoy the mindlessness of whatever your scrolling preferences are. Set a timer, maybe. Let your brain go dark. When that timer goes off...
Rinse and repeat.
It's easier said than done, I know, but give it a shot for one week. I'm curious to know how it worked for you — was it harder or easier than you thought? Did it help or hinder your productivity? xo ☽