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Are you spending too much time on social media at work? If so, see tips below for kicking the habit.
(Associated Press photo)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Your Facebook friend posts a political rant at 9:30 a.m. She shares a recipe video less than an hour later. At 11 a.m., she posts about her smart kid. A half-hour later, she posts about her wonderful husband. Just before lunch, she shares a cute cat video.
Just another morning at the office, checking social media between work tasks. (Or should that be squeezing in work between checking social media?)
Nearly 90 percent of employees say they check social media at work. Some admit to doing so excessively, according to a national survey by Chicago-based ComPsych, a major provider of employee assistance programs, or EAP, which include behavioral health and wellness services.
When scrolling through social media feeds becomes so frequent that it starts interfering with work, the activity may have reached the point of "digital distraction," ComPsych says.
The survey of 1,200 employees, at companies of varying size, found that 18 percent of respondents said they checked social media 10 times or more during the workday. On the other end of the spectrum were the 12 percent of respondents, who said they never checked social media at work.
The on-the-job social media habits of most employees fell somewhere in between. Sixty percent of respondents said they checked social media at work one to five times daily. Ten percent said they checked social media six to 10 times during the workday. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.
"Social media can be a significant distraction both at work and during personal time," said Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, the company's chief executive officer, in an email. "This leads to lack of focus and a constant changing of gears that can negatively impact performance, relationships and the ability to be fully present."
Digital distraction vs. digital mindfulness
Falling into digital distraction is easy in a day when cellphones and other mobile devices are always at the ready. For many, work duties can't compete with the pull of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, etc. Many workers can offer stories about the co-worker in the next cubicle, who believes he is surreptitiously tapping away on his cellphone. You follow him on social media, so you know what all the keystrokes were about: he has posted four political rants and two sports videos in less than two hours. You have lost count of how many other posts he has comment on, liked or shared.
Digital distraction has increasingly become a workplace issue, sparking ComPsych to offer a workshop in "digital mindfulness" showing employees how not to be consumed by the omnipresent social media.
"In today's digital age, people are exposed to a vast number of choices and opportunities in all facets of life; choices about what to read, watch, listen to or purchase," reads a description of the workshop offered to employers for which ComPsych provides services.
People are afraid to disconnect from social media for fear of missing out. At the same time they could become overwhelmed by it because they are bombarded with so many choices. The workshop focuses on teaching people how to both prioritize and simplify their social media usage.
ComPsych says there are benefits to controlling how you use social media -- instead of allowing it to control you.
"(B)ecoming digitally mindful can lower stress and improve well-being," the workshop description states.
Tips for controlling social media usage
Survey your digital usage patterns. It's easy to lose track of how much time you're spending on social media. Chaifetz said it is important to know how much time you are spending on social media, as well as when and why you're using it.
"Look at your usage patterns and get an understanding of what prompts you to scroll through social media," he said in an email. "Are browsing out of boredom, procrastination or because you need a stress break? Just being aware of how often and why you're doing it can open you up to other choices, such as talking with a co-worker or going for a walk."
Value your time. "Think about what's important to you and how you'd rather spend your time," Chaifetz said.
Set limits. Make sure push notifications don't turn you into a victim of Pavlovian conditioning. Just because someone posts on social media doesn't mean you must react to - or even view it - immediately. (Or at all, for that matter.)
"Set limits to how much time spent on phone or social media, turn off push notifications, consider removing apps," Chaifetz said.
Seek professional help if you have a problem. "We know that too much 'screen time' has deleterious effects on a person's mental state, making them feel more isolated, and it also hampers relationships," he said. "Short-term EAP counseling can help you learn new, healthier behaviors that can enrich your relationships and your life in general."
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