Episode 57: Is this your productivity nemesis?

00:49 Welcome to Unfrazzle, a podcast for solo business owners with the big vision who are ready for a kinder more sustainable approach to productivity. I'm Louise Miller and each week i share bite-sized insights to help you step away from the hustle stop faffing and stay focused so you can make your brilliant ideas happen and make a bigger impact in the world So grab yourself a cuppa and let's get started I almost didn't record this episode because this kind of feels like something we should all know by now. So there was part of me as i was putting this episode together that was thinking, do people really need to hear this again? But actually the more I think about it the more I believe that we do all need the reminder so...I'm going to share it with you anyway! Have you ever noticed how many times you reach for your phone during the day

01:42 Do you think you could put a number on it if you had to hazard a guess? So, if you're anything like me and many other people, you probably pick up your phone without even realising you're doing it. It's like some weird muscle memory thing right? It's become habitual and there did used to be a time when I would notice myself walking around the house with my phone in my hand for no apparent reason! I wasn't even looking at it...I was just holding onto it for dear life And then of course, you know we can get sucked into all of that mindless social media scrolling email checking WhatsApp group chats YouTube video watching obsessive weather checking or maybe that one's just me and I don't know about you but i noticed that my attachment to my phone became even stronger when I started my business.

02:23 Because suddenly everything felt more important, right? Without the security of a regular monthly paycheck checking email and social media suddenly felt business critical. I'd post something and then i keep checking in to see whether anyone engaged with it or what if an email came in offering me the opportunity of a lifetime and I missed the boat I'd ask a question in a Facebook group and then be obsessively checking to see if anyone had answered it. So this was back in the early days of my business, you know? I started my business in 2016 back then I was still using Facebook so So if any of that is sounding familiar to you, you're not alone. When Ofcom released their annual communications report back in 2018 the fact that smartphone users checked their phones every 12 minutes made headline news so since then I think we've become more aware of the dangers of being constantly on which is why I almost didn't want to share this with you

03:13 It's encouraging that the 2023 Ofcom report suggested that 7 in 10 internet users have been taking steps to manage their time spent online. And all of that, you know the increase in awareness around well-being is reassuring but I know for many of us it does remain a delicate balancing act Because we need technology to run our business. We can't just put it down and step away from it completely, and I wish that I could tell you that I now have this zen-like always intentional relationship with my phone but if I did I would be lying because I still catch myself looking at it way too much and for no real reason

03:52 And the trouble is, the apps we're also attached to have been engineered by behavioural psychologists to find ways of drawing us in. So when we keep mindlessly reaching for our phones, we're actually being manipulated – we are not in control of that! That might sound a bit overdramatic but it's true and I'm sure you will have heard stories about tech geniuses banning their kids from using the very products they help create So if you're like me and you reach for your phone more than you'd like to, just know that it's not actually your fault. But just because it's not your fault doesn't mean it's not your responsibility! If this is still something that you're struggling with – like many of us – then take a moment to get honest with yourself. Is your phone having a negative impact on your productivity and happiness? Is interrupting the flow of work? For example have you noticed how easy it is to make a 15 minute task that you don't really want

04:47 Last 45 minutes or even longer than that because you keep reaching for your phone as a distraction. And there's also actually been research to show that even just having your phone in a closed drawer in the room that you're working Can have a really negative impact on your productivity as well, which kind of blows my mind. But this is just useful stuff to know right? Is your phone a source of stress and anxiety does it give you FOMO do you feel like you have to keep up with the constant stream of notifications and respond to every DM or email as soon as it arrives And that's an interesting one as well because we don't expect other people to drop everything when we contact them at least I don't

05:24 So why do we have that expectation of ourselves? Why do we let other people interrupt us in that way. So as I've said, I know that none of this is new news anymore because we know all of this already but i do think it helps to be reminded from time to time that when we can aim for a more mindful relationship with our phones not only do we get more done but will also be able to switch off and relax more easily When you're not grabbing your phone every 12 minutes, you'll find your flow more readily. You'll be fully present with the work that you love and will power through the more mundane tasks with ease and in record time because you won't be using technology as a delaying tactic. You'll be more creative and make more progress So if that all feels like something to work on how might you loosen your grip on your phone? Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say how might you loosen your phones grip on YOU

06:15 Could you leave it in a different room when there's something that you want to be focusing on? Are there any apps that it would feel good to delete. Every now and then I will delete LinkedIn and Instagram if I can feel its sucking me into much, and I'm feeling like I've got an unhealthy relationship with them. I'll just delete them off my phone. And I haven't had my work email on my phone for years now So cultivating this different kind of relationship with your phone, it takes practice. It takes determination and it takes a willingness to keep getting back on the horse but the benefits are huge which is why I wanted to share this reminder with you today so I hope that this helps and I look forward to seeing you again soon Thank you for listening to Unfrazzle. Sharing is caring, so if you loved this episode please share it on your socials or head over to Spotify iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and leave me a review not only will I be hugely grateful Your ratings and reviews will help others to find this podcast So that even more people can make their ideas happen Thanks so much and see you next time