Phone Delay

It’s 6 a.m., and thanks to the alarm on my iPhone, I’m now awake and getting ready to embark on what should be a beautiful morning run before work.

As soon as the fog has cleared from my head, and I’ve prepared myself mentally for what’s to come, I do a quick check of the weather app on my phone to see what I should wear. Next, I check the GPS app to review my route.

Before I know it, I’m checking my email and am distracted by a number of “urgent” issues. I park those thoughts and do a quick check of Instagram to see what my friends and family are up to. Then on to Twitter because I can’t resist the urge to find out what’s happening in the world. I learn that my beloved Blue Jays have lost yet another game.

What should have been a 20-second weather consult has turned into a 20-minute detour. I skip the run.

Smartphones have become such an integral part of our daily lives. Our work, play, and everything else seem to depend on them. These lovely little devices enable us to be both more connected and less connected than ever before. They easily distract us and make us far less social. How many of us aren’t guilty of being at a social function only to look for any excuse to pull our phone out? Before we know it, we’re engrossed in our phones and not each other. And it’s not just millennials. I observe boomers committing the same offence with just as much frequency.

Smartphones can also be a significant distraction at work and delay us from completing our tasks. Work should be fulfilling, and those who are less distracted tend to be more fulfilled. Many safety-sensitive tasks also require our complete undivided attention, which is why some workplaces only allow smartphones during break times. 

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted studies that warn of the mental and psychological challenges associated with our devices. Some studies measured cognitive capacity when phones are in our possession or in the same room. Other studies measured aspects of creative thinking and our ability to interpret and solve problems. In every study, those whose phones were on or near them performed much lower than those whose phones were in a different room and silenced. 

It seems that out of sight, out of mind, really works. People are more focussed and engaged when their phone isn’t at their beck and call. 

Acclaimed author and speaker Simon Sinek speaks to the addictive property of smartphones—especially with children. He says that giving your children their own smartphone is akin to giving them unfettered access to your beer fridge—there is a reason why Steve Jobs would not allow his own young children to have an iPad. 

Smartphone technology is here to stay and will only continue to advance in the coming years. Which is a good thing. Because in spite of the challenges, they make positive impacts to our daily work and lives. The key is finding balance. Many of our jobs require the use of these devices—but not all the time. 

My next step is to buy an alarm clock. Remember those? I’ll consult the forecast and plan my route the night before to avoid any phone delay. Those running shoes in the closet are not going to run themselves.