Five top tips for digital wellbeing at work

culled from:robertsoncooper.com

1) Be ruthless with your email

Could you wait an hour before you log in to your email? Often we get pulled away from the important work we have to do when we open our inbox and get sidetracked by other people’s demands. Ask yourself whether you even need to send that email. Talking in person or on the phone often solves things more efficiently than a string of five messages.

2) Manage your expectation

We need to look at the expectation we place on ourselves even more than the expectation we place on other people. Do you expect yourself to keep up across multiple platforms (Tweeting, messaging, posting) and still expect to come up with something meaningful to say? Be realistic about your energy and time. Would connecting meaningfully with one person be worth more than connecting in a meaningless way with many people? Weigh up quantity and quality.  

3) Protect your thinking zone

Do you need to come up with good ideas? If every time we’re close to having an idea, there’s a ‘ping’ interrupting us, these ideas will be left unformed. Downgrading to bite-sized thinking is a serious issue for businesses who need fresh ideas. Find, or create, a distraction-free zone to help with thinking. Be aware, also, of what you feed your mind. Do you mindlessly browse the Internet, reading about things that don’t interest you? Your attention is a precious resource – don’t waste it.

4) Tell someone if you’re overwhelmed

Digital addiction and digital distraction are serious issues that are causing many people stress worldwide. It’s OK to talk these issues through, and work with someone to develop methods that will decrease your stress and increase your feelings of control. Not only will your wellbeing improve, you’ll also be more productive, so it’s in the interests of your employer to help you with this.  

5) Draw a line

Unless you press the off button on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, the danger is that your office gets to come home with you and access all areas. Everyone needs time to recharge, and switching off from work when you leave the office is not a crime. In fact, it makes you more efficient and happier when you’re there. So draw a line.