Unplug to learn

As US novelist Anne Lamott once said, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you”. 

Even if you haven’t heard of this quote from Ms Lamott, it is likely that your company’s information technology team has said it to you several times.

Though the advice is in a different vein, the underlying meaning is the same – disconnect to reconnect.

Benefits of unplugging from devices in a digitally governed world

According to Jeffery & Ree Clinical Psychologists Director and Sleep Matters Clinical Psychologist Melissa Ree, time away from your devices is essential for physical and emotional wellbeing.

She said if you were feeling stressed, there was evidence that disconnecting from technology could have benefits on mental health, productivity, sleep quality and interpersonal relationships.

“Intentional disconnection from devices may be helpful – making a commitment to a defined period without a device to commit purposeful focus on to something else in life which is important to us,” Dr Ree said.

Use your time offline wisely

Research suggests that digital detox may help combat depression, however, the individual must have a plan for how they spend their time when they are not using their device. 

According to Vision Counselling Business Manager and Counsellor Katie Larkin, simply resting and daydreaming are beneficial, with advantages including a better mood, and anxiety and stress reduction.

“It is said there are benefits to daydreaming, which is interesting because I am sure most employers who see employees daydreaming would say it is a cause for concern, as they do not look productive at that particular point in time,” she said.

“However, it can be argued that they are actually in a stage of reset; prepping for the next activity, with their brain doing what it needs to do for a reboot to be productive again.

“Of course, high external stressors outside a worker’s activity can also be a distraction taking away from productivity. 

“If it is a high stressor, then an Employee Assistance Program could be of benefit to help support the worker move through their external stressor and become productive at work again.”

Dr Ree said this form of passive recovery was ideal, while an active reset also had a place at the table.

“I like the distinction between active versus passive recovery and both of these are important for productivity,” she said.

“Passive recovery, like daydreaming or listening to music, is when the brain is not actively engaged in a task and it activates the default mode network.

“This network helps connect random ideas and consolidate them with prior knowledge, leading to creative insights and solutions. 

“Some research suggests that participants who took a 10-minute break were twice as likely to find a hidden shortcut to a math problem compared to those who did not take a break.

“An example of active recovery from work is physical exercise such as short, structured activities like physical movement, which can help to refocus attention and recharge cognitive abilities. 

“There’s research showing students who took a walk in a botanical garden recalled more information than those who walked through busy city streets, highlighting the benefits of nature and physical activity for cognitive performance.”

The importance of sleep in learning

Sleep Matters Clinical Psychologist Paul Jeffery said sleep was crucial for a range of mentally and physically restorative processes, including consolidation of learning. 

“There are converging lines of evidence that point to the impact of poor sleep on learning both in the immediate term and over time,” he said. 

“Individuals can experience impairments in coordination, reaction time and concentration the night after a very poor sleep. 

“Students are usually better off putting down their books and making time to sleep, rather than putting in an all-nighter.

“The short-term effects of sleep deprivation are reversed easily with better sleep. 

“On the other hand, chronically shortened sleep over months or more is correlated with poorer grades and mood disturbance in student populations. 

“These effects are reversed when total sleep time and sleep quality are improved.”

Mr Jeffery said sleep was also crucial for physical restoration and, therefore, could aid in performance. 

“During sleep, human growth hormone is secreted – particularly during deep sleep – and aids in the repair of tissues and growth in younger bodies,” he said.

“Rapid eye movement sleep – or REM sleep and the dreaming state – is thought to be more important for the restoration of cognitive functions, including the learning and memory consolidation mentioned before. 

“The notion of sleeping on a problem and waking up with a clearer sense of a way forward is a recognised phenomenon.”

According to Mr Jeffrey, better sleep can equate to better work performance, especially as it improves mood, concentration and resilience. 

“Although poor sleep can have short-term and longer-term consequences on performance, it is also very important to bear in mind several caveats,” he said. 

“There are individual differences in our need for sleep and people can still function and perform well after poor sleep. 

“In a professional workforce, the issue may be that people don’t value their sleep enough and try to burn the candle at both ends. 

“Balance in work and life is crucial. 

“On the other hand, a few poor nights of sleep is not the end of the world. 

“There are probably many Olympic champions and grand final winners who did not sleep well the night before their event. 

“When people worry excessively about poor sleep, this can end up exacerbating their issues.”

Switching off to switch on productivity

“Unplugging can help us to gain momentum in areas of work which have been neglected – those jobs we have been procrastinating on or need a larger period of time to work on without common distractions,” Ms Larkin said. 

“This can be helpful for workers who are working in a phase of planning, marketing, strategy or finance.

“Now, it has become more important than ever before to step away from the device, put the phone down and plug back into real life: nature, your healthy relationships, including those with your parents, children, friends and pets, as well as offline sports, hobbies, interests and passions. 

“Spending more time unplugged encourages mindfulness and will help to balance out life.”