Screen Time & Productivity

Productivity in the digital age

Life in the digital era can be increasingly disruptive. For each of us, our job means something different. Whether you are a business owner, an office worker, a fitness instructor or anything else, the perception of work varies. For some people, work defines their lifestyle. It helps them build a successful career or simply earn enough to live on. Some claim their job is more of a hobby, while others treat it as an unpleasant duty.

Despite all of these distinctions, we have one thing in common: We all have the same 24 hours in a day to get stuff done. We are the ones who decide how to spend this time. Whether our work is a key part of our lives or not, most of us would like to be productive and efficient enough to achieve better results, earn some recognition for our efforts and finally find some time for the things that are truly important to us. If we summarize our days, we might feel as though we could have done more, been more productive, and finished more projects. Why is it so difficult to take control over our time and actions in order to be satisfied with the outcome? 

It’s likely that our brains have a lot more to deal today than ten years ago. We live in a digital age, with our days filled with endless distractions and information overload. Technology has changed our behavior and made it possible for us to somehow inherit multi-tasking the way we recognize it today from using computers. We feel the urge to check emails, social media or respond to other notifications while working.

According to Udemy’s survey, almost three out of four employees admit they feel distracted when they’re at work, with 16 percent asserting that they’re almost always distracted. [1]

What distracts us the most at work?

According to a survey from CareerBuilder, smartphones pose the biggest distraction for employees. A whopping 55% of employees said they are routinely distracted by their phones. Others cited overly chatty coworkers and office noise as their top distractions. Some also mentioned slow computers and bad internet connections. 

Among other distractions, workers also mentioned are pointless meetings, a window to stare outside and the workplace temperature. Now you know what makes us less effective, what comes next?

The first and most vital step is to acknowledge that there’s always room for improvement. Realizing that we are affected by distractions and accepting this fact will actually keep us on the right track. When we are certain we want to change our approach and work towards achieving better results and self satisfaction, we can start taking the appropriate steps.

We understand that being productive in the digital era requires the use of digital devices. However, there are steps you can take to limit your digital distractions, while mindfully making use of technology in order to accomplish your daily tasks and reach your goals. 

One of the most important things you can do is to plan ahead. The second most important thing is to stick to the plan and NOT procrastinate. 

Once you start working on your to-do list, try to stay focused on your tasks. Learn to say NO to distractions. Conventional smartphones are designed to siphon your attention and kill productivity. Consider setting your phone to a DO NOT DISTURB mode, or get a minimalist phone, such as the Mudita Pure to minimize distractions caused by notifications. 

With the well-being of the user in mind, we've also created a simple app called Mudita Launcher which could help all Android users implement and foster healthy tech habits. Mudita Launcher is a great app which empowers you to be more mindful about your use of technology.

At the end of the day, summarize what you have done and take pride in all that you have accomplished.  Recap the day’s tasks and give yourself credit for staying focused and getting things done. 

The aim is to help you understand internal and external factors which can lead to possible loss of focus and affect your performance at work. 

On our community website, we discuss how our brains work and how we can use them to better concentrate on what matters. If you’re interested in how you can improve the environment or external factors impacting us, check out our blog, forum, and resources page, where we share actionable tips that will help you become better at what you do and stay content within yourself.

This topic should be given close attention by company management. If employees aren’t productive, they often get distracted which can negatively impact company revenue. The less distractions employees experience, the more work gets done and the more they become motivated and confident in their abilities to do the job well and feel happier. 

Mudita wants to encourage you to organize healthier work processes and improve your workplace so that employee satisfaction and productivity grows.

If you are looking to enhance the way your mind works in order to be more effective, self-satisfied and enthusiastic, you’re in the right place.

Check out these interesting articles and learn more about how to manage your time and stay productive.

• 10 Simple Ways to Develop Good Time Management Skills

• 8 Tips to Mindful Work

• How to Create a Peaceful Office Environment

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We’re currently looking for beta testers - if you would like to be a part of the closed beta testing community for Mudita Launcher please reach out to us by filling out this form and we’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.