How often are you intentionally away from your smartphone? For most people, the answer is probably "never." A 2017 survey found that the average American checks their smartphone once every 12 minutes, and 60% of respondents said they feel stressed when their phone is off or away from them.
It's not hard to imagine the negative mental impact of this compulsive device-checking and its associated stress -- and our "always on," 24/7 work culture doesn't help the situation. Employees need mental breaks from technology to do their best work, and it's up to leaders to set the tone.
Here's how the members of Forbes Coaches Council create healthy expectations about connectivity and communication in their workplaces.
1. Raise Awareness Of Mental Health And Well-Being
Get senior leaders on board to support mental well-being. They can send a clear message to their employees that mental health and well-being matter. Support a campaign to encourage staff to take lunch breaks, and talk openly about mental health and support for a mental health problem. Organizations perform better when staff are healthy, motivated and focused. - Maria Pastore, Maria Pastore Coaching
2. Create Smartphone Break Areas
Ask people to voluntarily put the smartphone in a box when they're in a certain area of the office, like the break room. Unless they need the phone to accomplish business, most employees would love it if you gave them a break from the constant distraction our so-called smartphones represent. Employees will often thank you for helping them break the unproductive device addiction. - John M. O'Connor, Career Pro Inc.
3. Truly Respect Time Off
If an employee is supposed to be off of work, do not send them an email during that time. Just because you may think of something while they are off, do not communicate with them. We all know emails get read at all hours of the day. Don't assume an email is less intrusive than an actual phone call. If you would not call them at that hour, then don't email either. - Donald Hatter, Donald Hatter Inc.
4. Create Boundaries For Out-Of-Office Communications
Unless a job is billed as 24/7 on-call, then it's important to set and maintain boundaries for outside hours communications. Employees will be more able to have work-life balance when they are released from work thoughts at a set time each day. Establish cut-off times that are clear and enforceable as nightly deadlines for work outreach, and let your employees arrive fresh the next day. - Laura DeCarlo, Career Directors International
5. Leave Phones Out Of Meetings
Have a "no smartphone" policy in meetings -- not just team meetings but one-on-one meetings in your office. Leave your phone out of sight, switched off, or put it on silent with no vibration. The more often you do this, the less you will crave the dopamine high from each ping, text or email. You will start to feel very liberated when not being constantly accessible. - Frances McIntosh, Intentional Coaching LLC
6. Clarify The Level Of Priority
Give your team the flexibility of priority awareness. Use the subject line of an email to scale the urgency of an action. Notations like "action by COB today," "before lunch," or "prepare for next staff meeting" give a clear timeline. On the other hand, preceding status updates with FYSA (For Your Situational Awareness) clarifies that no immediate action is required. - Peter Stewart, Stewart Leadership
7. Promote Holistic Self-Care
Implement a wellness program, add yoga and other de-stressing activities, institute happy hours, and/or add a quiet zone. Create safe, phone-free zones for employees to unwind and decompress. Senior leaders must demonstrate that they value self-care and allow spaces for employees to do the same. This also means that out-of-office truly means that employees are unavailable during that time. - Niquenya Collins, Building Bridges Consulting
8. Reset Expectations For Response Times
A lot of employees feel that they need to respond to an email or a text right away. Resetting the corporate standard for communication can help relieve some of the intense over-responsiveness that plagues the workplace. Do you want employees to focus on work or constantly be interrupted? Things like a corporate "rest" period, nap rooms or meditation rooms can help. - Maresa Friedman, Executive Cat Herder
9. Encourage Employees To Disable Notifications
Getting a mental break at work can be less about getting away from the smartphone and more about diminishing unnecessary sights and sounds. Sound and sight distractions such as email, text and app notifications exponentially increase stress and decrease productivity. If you do nothing more than turn off email "pings" and pop-up windows, you will greatly enhance a sense of focus and calm at work. - Ashley Good, Ashley Good Coaching & Consulting
10. Take Meetings Outside
If you work near any green space, start taking small groups or one-on-one meetings outside. Find space near a fountain to meet with employees or just walk and talk. Fresh air stimulates greater creative thinking. Walking improves circulation and overall health. By doing this regularly, you will demonstrate to employees both the importance of being present with them and their wellness. - Julianne Cenac PhD, The Leader Channel
11. Set The Example
People will follow what you do, not what you say. Don't tell people they need to disconnect and then send them an urgent email at 1 a.m., for example. Your credibility will be shot. Similarly, if you leave early one afternoon for your kid's dance recital or ballgame, let people know where you are going and why. Showing that disconnecting is important is much more powerful than lip service. - Gary Bradt, Bradt Leadership, Inc.
