Technology How to use technology to be happier and more focused

Technology How to use technology to be happier and more focusedTechnology How to use technology to be happier and more focusedWere incredibly distracted by digital technologies.One study found thataverage smartphone user today unlocks their phone 150 times a day. Each time you unlock yur phone, you spend about a minute checking it. So thats the equivalent of about two and a half hours of your day or 38 days a year.The impact of that kind of distraction on our work is mind-boggling.Technology is here to stay, its ubiquitous, and it has a lot of potential to make things better. Butwe must set boundaries and acquire new skill sets to successfully navigate the digital era.Here are some practical strategies we can use to deal with technology at work and be happier and more productive.Hide your phone If you have your phone by your workstation or anywhere you can see it, your brain anticipates that you might get a message. That makes you less focused, less productive, and less connected to the work or the person to whom youre speaking.Put your phone behind your laptop screen while youre working or in your bag while youre talking to a coworker. Make sure it is out of your physical and visual space.If you have it in your back pocket, and it might vibrate, or you have it on the table where you can see the screen light up, even if you dont hauch it, it could interfere with your productivity.Take a tech-free break One study found that workers who took breaks without their phones recharged faster and had less stress returning to work than those who took their phones with them.If youre going to take a break, dont use your phone to catch up with friends or surf Facebook. Take time to refocus and set your eyes on something other than a screen.Create boundariesSet intentions and create reminders to help you develop willpower and habits. Think through the when, the where, and the why youre using technology.Not only does that make you more thoughtful, but it also refuels your wel l being.Use data to set goalsIm a numbers person.Apps that track your behaviors can help you change them.Its really helpful to have data to help you figure out what kind of changes you need to make and whether youre making progress toward your goal.Create positive habitsPart of why tech is so addictive is that its so good at keeping us accountable and drawing us back in. That makes technology great at helping us form habits.When were able to see and understand whats happening, it illuminates howwe might be able to grow. For example, I use technology to track my fitness.Train your brainWhen we hear notifications on our phone, like Pavlovs dogs, we react. It activates our flight-or-fight response. We feel like theres a threat coming toward us.Instead of thinking about things that interrupt us as threats, we want to think about them as challenges. We want to train our minds to outsmart technology to get ahead.Fuel your happinessHow you use technology matters. If youre using tech to zon e out, it needs to go. If youre using it to tune in and become more thoughtful, its amazing.Technology can also be incredibly powerfully to help us connect with our social support system, which is the greatest predictor of long-term happiness and success.Prepare for whats nextRight now, a lot of people worryabout smartphone usage because it affects them every day. In the future, we might be more concerned about the Internet of Things.Its useful to think two steps down the road.Whats the trajectory were setting ourselves up on? What are we inviting into our lives? What are we helping create?How does our behavior influence the market thats emerging?Amy Blankson is the co-founder of GoodThinkand the author of two books, including the recently released The Future of Happiness.As told to Kirsten Salyer.