{"id":7253,"date":"2018-12-04T07:36:51","date_gmt":"2018-12-04T15:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.knowledgecity.com\/blog\/?p=7253"},"modified":"2024-04-12T10:17:51","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T17:17:51","slug":"phone-at-work-guidelines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.knowledgecity.com\/blog\/phone-at-work-guidelines\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Guidelines for Using Your Phone at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recent years, numerous studies<\/a> have found that personal cell phone use is hijacking productivity in the workplace. A 2016 CareerBuilder survey<\/a> concluded that cell phone use and texting was the top productivity killer at work. A similar OfficeTeam survey<\/a> in 2017 found that professionals waste an average of 56 minutes a day \u201cusing their mobile device for non-work activities in the office.\u201d\u00a0The Journal of the Association of Consumer Research published a study in 2017 that showed the very presence of your phone at work (even when it\u2019s powered off) \u201creduces available cognitive capacity.\u201d Furthermore, the more you rely on your phone, the worse the cognitive impairment when it\u2019s around.<\/p>\n

\"Diverse<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s in the environment, it\u2019s almost like it\u2019s calling out to us,\u201d said Adrian Ward of the University of Texas. \u201cWe\u2019re automatically drawn to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so now the problem becomes not to figure out what to pay attention to, but resisting that automatic pull,\u201d he continued. \u201cYou actually have to devote some of your cognitive resources to resisting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Consequently, many organizations have moved to restrict personal device use. However, even if your company has not banned cell phone use, you should follow some guidelines when it comes to using your phone at work. Even if you\u2019re not spending an hour a more a day on your personal cell phone at work, it\u2019s important to be mindful about your usage as it can reflect poorly on you.<\/p>\n

“Like anything in life… be aware of your surroundings, be aware of the situation, and don’t let distractions like your phone or texting get in the way [of your work product],\u201d career coach Susan Ginsberg O’Sullivan said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"phone<\/a><\/p>\n

Here are some basic rules you should follow when using your cell phone at work.<\/p>\n

1. Lock Up Your Phone at Work<\/h3>\n

Ideally, you would leave your cell phone in your car or a different room. However, we all know that\u2019s probably not going to happen. However, it\u2019s a good idea to keep your phone fairly inaccessible to help reduce \u201cbrain drain\u201d from its presence. Research shows that intermittent distractions like checking your phone or notification sounds can derail your productivity. One study<\/a> determined that it can take as much as 30 minutes to resume a task after an interruption.<\/p>\n

2. Keep Your Phone on Silent Mode<\/h3>\n

Even having your phone on vibrate can distract you and your coworkers from your work objectives. Most people can hear a phone buzzing even when it\u2019s in a nearby drawer. If you need to stay on top of incoming calls and texts while at work, you can\u00a0use a smartwatch or activity tracker to receive visual alerts.<\/p>\n

3. Let Calls Go to Voicemail<\/h3>\n

There are exceptionally few calls that can\u2019t wait. For instance, if the school nurse is calling about your child being sick, then you obviously need to deal with it immediately. However, anyone who may need to contact you in case of emergency should also have your work number with a clear understanding that it is only to be used in emergencies. Let calls to your personal phone go to voicemail. Those who have the emergency number can try your work number. All other calls can generally wait. Also, wait until your break to respond to texts.<\/p>\n

4. Go Somewhere Private to Make Phone Calls<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s fine to make personal calls during your break. However, if you share a workspace, you should do this in an area where you aren\u2019t going to distract your coworkers and invade their workflow.<\/p>\n

5. Don\u2019t Use Your Phone in the Restroom<\/h3>\n

Regardless if you\u2019re on break or off the clock, don\u2019t bring your cell phone into the restroom. It\u2019s disrespectful<\/a> to the person you\u2019re communicating with and invasive to the privacy of your coworkers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In recent years, numerous studies have found that personal cell phone use is hijacking productivity in the workplace. 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