Every day it seems like more of us are becoming distracted by our digital devices. Smart phones and Blackberrys seem to demand more and more of our attention. The latest studies confirm what we already intuitively know.
When people with a smart phone or a Blackberry answer an e-mail, they seem to spend a minute trying to recollect their thoughts before they had the interruption. And all of these interruptions seem to be affecting their concentration, efficiency, and creativity. Let’s look at some of the drawbacks to these digital devices.
The first is distraction overload. One study found that if an interruption takes place at a natural breakpoint, then the mental disruption is less. If it came at a less opportune time, the user experienced the “where was I?” brain lock.
Another study found that if the distraction came during a checklist, it was easy to miss an item. Sadly, one airline crash was attributed to a mistake by the pilot from an interruption-induced error.
A second problem is what is called “continuous partial attention.” Blackberry and smart phone users like to use their devices while they should be paying attention to something else. Psychologists tell us that we really aren’t multitasking, but rather engaged in rapid-fire switching of attention among tasks. It is inevitable they are going to miss key information if part of their focus is on their digital device.
But another hidden drawback associated is less creativity. Turning on a Blackberry or smart phone when you are “doing nothing” replaces what we used to do in the days before these digital devices. Back then, we called it “daydreaming.” That is when the brain often connects unrelated facts and thoughts. You have probably had some of your most creative ideas while shaving, putting on makeup, or driving. That is when your brain can be creative. Checking e-mail reduces daydreaming.
Blackberrys and smart phones aren’t bad, but wise users need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the technology. I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view.