Slaves to the ping
I first learnt the term “popcorn brain” a few years back from a trends report, which detailed a study in which Chinese researchers published the MRI results of 18 college students who spent an average of 10 hours a day online. The outcome was that these students had reduced grey matter, when compared to those who spent about two hours a day online. In other words, their brains were literally shrinking as a result of too much screen time.
The term popcorn brain was later coined by American researcher David Levy, a professor with the Information School at the University of Washington to describe the effects that continuous screen time, social media and multitasking have on our brains.
The term appeals to me, because when I’ve spent extended periods online for whatever reason, I fall into bed exhausted but unable to sleep because it feels as though my brain is firing in a thousand different directions – a bit like popcorn in a pan of sizzling oil. It’s not surprising then that our technology laden world is resulting in stress, anxiety and even burnout.
I’ve also observed the pull of devices over face-to-face communication on multiple occasions in the workplace, when the ping of the phone leads to the current conversation switching to the new notification – stealing time and attention away from the business topic being discussed.
This addiction creates a real issue within businesses, because the assumption is that everything has to be done immediately, and often limits our ability to see beyond the invented crisis from the latest notification.
This article, 5 Ways To Fight Digital Burnout, offers some great advice on how to power down and take control over technology instead of just being a slave to the ping.
Now, I’m not saying that we should throw out our devices. Technology has multiple positive applications for our work and social lives, but with the constant flow of information that they provide, it’s important to discern what is important, what is not – and when to switch off.
Michelle Frenzel - HR Manager - KYOCERA Document Solutions South Africa
