Living in a world where your connection to the office is always in your pocket, purse or bag can make it difficult to leave work at work—and get away from screens. Helping employees to step away from their phones, tablets and laptops with some digital detox tips plus health and wellness giveaways can make them more productive staff members.
Educate staff on the importance of stopping work
A digital detox can take multiple forms:
- Setting a time every day when devices like laptops and smartphones must be turned off
- Replacing digital conversations with face-to-face interactions
- Stopping all work-related communication outside of working hours
If employees have gotten into the habit of using their devices after hours, remind them that doing work outside of the workday isn’t a requirement. And excessive device usage can have problematic effects:
- Overuse of cell phones has been linked to anxiety, stress and depression.
- Reading screens just before bed can reduce sleep hormones and next-day alertness.
- Too much near vision usage can result in long-term vision issues.
Ask leaders to set an example
When leaders answer non-emergency questions outside of working hours, staff will likely follow suit. Reminding managers and supervisors that they are setting an example for their employees to follow can make it easier for everyone to put away their devices.
No-tech meetings
Have a meeting where devices are put away to reduce distractions from buzzes, pings and other outside interruptions that can pull focus away from the task at hand. Hand out company giveaways like a high-end notebook and pen to keep staff focused.
Take regular breaks
Closing laptops and putting phones away should happen more often than at the end of the day. Studies have shown that the most productive employees perform 52 minutes of concentrated work followed by a 17-minute break from their screens. To help them reach this target, give them health and wellness giveaways, like a timer and an adult colouring book. Add a happy mood stress reliever to provide a small dose of the “best medicine.”
Create digital detox buddies
Assign each staff member a buddy who does regular detox check-ins. Encourage them to spend time talking to each other during one of their breaks. Or give them a deck of cards to inspire them to spend time engaged with coworkers during lunch or other downtime.
Fewer screens, better employees
Technology allows us to do amazing things—but taking a break has its benefits. By reminding employees to step away from the screens and offering them health and wellness giveaways, you can help employees become less stressed and more productive.