The Hidden Cost of Digital Distractions In Your Office
- The Hidden Cost of Digital Distractions In Your Office
What does your team meeting look like? How many of your sales people are checking their blackberries, texting, or event taking calls in the middle of your meeting?
While it’s difficult to avoid these digital distractions in today’s connected world, I challenge you and your team to practice being present. This means no interruptions, no texting, and certainly no stepping away to answer a call.
Digital distractions have a huge cost impact on your business:
1) Time: by peeking at their phones, laptop or iPads, everyone in the room is basically robbing the group of a few seconds here and there. Doesn’t seem like a big deal, does it? Those seconds add up and make your meetings stretch out.
2) Being Present: studies have shown that every time we are distracted, it takes up to 20 minutes to fully re-engage. Now, multiple that by the number of people in the room. Can you afford these extra 20 minutes per person not being fully present?
3) Customer Service: in coaching, we often say, “how you do anything is how you do everything.” If your car is a mess, chances are, your desk – and even your business – is, too. If your employees are thumbing or typing on their phones in internal meetings, how do they show up in front of clients? Does your sales person stay present and engaged with a customer, or does he answer his phone?
As a coach, I work with my clients on identifying patterns that negatively affect the dynamic and performance of a business. Digital distractions are one of the easiest patterns to identify.
Fortunately, this is also one of the easiest patterns to eliminate. As a business leader, you can begin by modeling distraction-free presence to your team. Here are a few simple practices to build into your day:
While it’s difficult to avoid these digital distractions in today’s connected world, I challenge you and your team to practice being present. This means no interruptions, no texting, and certainly no stepping away to answer a call.
Digital distractions have a huge cost impact on your business:
1) Time: by peeking at their phones, laptop or iPads, everyone in the room is basically robbing the group of a few seconds here and there. Doesn’t seem like a big deal, does it? Those seconds add up and make your meetings stretch out.
2) Being Present: studies have shown that every time we are distracted, it takes up to 20 minutes to fully re-engage. Now, multiple that by the number of people in the room. Can you afford these extra 20 minutes per person not being fully present?
3) Customer Service: in coaching, we often say, “how you do anything is how you do everything.” If your car is a mess, chances are, your desk – and even your business – is, too. If your employees are thumbing or typing on their phones in internal meetings, how do they show up in front of clients? Does your sales person stay present and engaged with a customer, or does he answer his phone?
As a coach, I work with my clients on identifying patterns that negatively affect the dynamic and performance of a business. Digital distractions are one of the easiest patterns to identify.
Fortunately, this is also one of the easiest patterns to eliminate. As a business leader, you can begin by modeling distraction-free presence to your team. Here are a few simple practices to build into your day:
- Set aside blocks of time – these can be 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or 2 hours – to answer email and return phone calls.
- Next, block out “no phone and no email” times. You will do your best work when you are not distracted.
- Make sure your team is aware of your “no phone and no email” times.
- Ban cell phones, iPods, laptops, and iPads from meetings. You will encounter a lot of resistance initially – after all, we are addicted to our digital extensions – but unless you are managing a team of surgeons who are literally saving lives, everyone can survive 30 minute or 1 hour without being “plugged in.”