DIGITAL WELL-BEING
Module 2: Hyper-responsiveness
This module was funded by the Oeuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte as part of the “Digital Well-Being for Youth” project.
OBJECTIVES OF THIS MODULE
In this module, you will learn about the cognitive fundamentals of attention and interruptions, as well as their causes and consequences. You will finish by learning about the best practices for improving efficiency on a daily basis.
ATTENTION
The brain has an essential tool for avoiding mental overload (see module 1): attention.
To understand how it works, watch the video:
ATTENTION
So, did you manage to identify some of the 21 changes that took place during the video?
You may not have noticed any of them, and you may not have observed all of them. Why is this? Because your brain has attention, which is a filter for selecting information.
Schematically, attention works a bit like a torch in the dark: the brain picks up information that is in the beam of light, but information that remains outside the beam is not processed.
Attention protects us from constant information overload. The brain can only process around ten pieces of information at the same time, and there are hundreds of pieces of information to process every second. Attention therefore selects the most relevant information for the task in hand.
ATTENTION
Attention moves around the environment in two ways:
Endogenousfocus
Exogenousfocus
Click on the buttons to find out more
INTERRUPTIONS
When your attention is drawn to an external disturbance, it creates a distraction. But if you decide to stop the task in progress to start a new task linked to this disturbance (picking up the phone, reading an email, answering a colleague), this creates an external interruption. And in the majority of cases, these interruptions have a damaging effect on efficiency.
INTERRUPTIONS
HYPER-RESPONSIVENESS
The problem is that today's world, particularly the world of work, demands ever greater speed in interactions. This means that your behaviour when using communication tools does not always respect the way the brain works, in particular its poor ability to manage interruptions effectively.
Hyper-responsiveness means interruptions, and you've probably already experienced this: for example, while you're working on a document, you receive an e-mail from a colleague. Intrigued, perhaps you look at the subject line, or even the whole email, and then while you're at it, start replying. But you were already busy!
In 2021, the Barometer of Digital Uses and Disconnection (Mailoop and LeLab RH) observed that: 54% of emails received a reply in less than an hour! This clearly shows that our use of communication tools is not optimal.
RULES FOR USING COMMUNICATION TOOLS
At work, we have several communication tools at our disposal. They each have their own specific features, which are not interchangeable: it is not very efficient only to send e-mails, for example.However, not having rules for using these tools encourages hyper-responsiveness because it forces you to be connected to all the tools at the same time, all the time.
At work, you have:
Click on the images to find out more
THE CONCEPT OF URGENCY
In addition to the tool used, the way in which you send or receive requests encourages hyper-responsiveness. In particular, the information in the subject line of emails is not always appropriate! Take Sacha, for example. He has to ask his colleague Amélie to give him feedback on a report he has written. He will email his document to her on Tuesday morning and he needs to send the report to his manager on Friday morning.
BEST PRACTICES to avoid HYPER-RESPONSIVENESS
Hyper-responsiveness is not the best way to stay focused and efficient on a daily basis. Fortunately, there are good practices for distancing yourself from your communication tools.
Set rules for using messaging
Replace the word ‘urgent’ with the expected response time
Don't leave your emails open on your screen
Schedule times to check your e-mails
Change your status according to your need for concentration
Move your mouse over the buttons to find out more
BEST PRACTICES to avoid HYPER-RESPONSIVENESS
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
We're going to assess what you've learned with a few summary questions.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
We're going to assess what you've learned with a few summary questions.
DIGITALWELL-BEING
Module 2: Hyper-responsiveness
WELL DONE!YOU'VE COMPLETED THIS MODULE!
This module was funded by the Oeuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte as part of the “Digital Well-Being for Youth” project.
Exogenous focus of attention
Exogenous focus of attention is the ability to involuntarily shift your attention to something other than what you want to see. Distractors (a noise, a person passing, a notification, etc.) unwillingly draw your attention away from the task in hand. The characteristics of the disturbances will influence how strongly they attract your attention. The more prominent they are, such as a very loud sound, or a Gif (as opposed to an inanimate image), the more likely they are to grab your attention when you are concentrating on something else. Your own first name, for example, is a very salient piece of information for you, as are features that can arouse strong emotions in you. In the video, you may have noticed changes to the prominent features (such as the bear, which takes up a lot of space in the video), as opposed to the purely decorative features, which are of little interest.
Endogenous focus of attention
Endogenous focus of attention is the ability to voluntarily shift your attention towards the source of your choice. It's a deliberate process, which depends a great deal on the objectives you have set yourself. For example, at the moment you are deliberately focusing your attention on this text because you want to learn more about attention. Having this clear objective makes it easier to keep your attention on the text and protects you (although not 100%) from the distractions around you. If attention is a torch, intentions and objectives are the hand that directs the torch, according to your interests or needs. In the video, you might have noticed more changes if you had been instructed to look specifically at the victim's body, or the objects held by the characters, because your attention would have been focused on these features.
Instant messaging
Like email, instant messaging (Teams, WhatsApp, SMS, etc.) allows only written information to be sent. This makes it prone to ambiguity, as it is difficult to convey emotions and intentions with words alone. What's more, despite their name, these messaging services are not so instant: you can have conversations with one or more people, but the interactions last until a reply has been given. This can take several hours or even days. These tools are nonetheless useful for rapid exchanges on subjects that don't require an immediate response, as well as for informal exchanges (unlike email).
Telephone calls
Telephone calls are the oldest means of communicating, yet still have many advantages! It makes it possible to have a synchronous conversation, with a beginning and an end for everyone involved: this ensures that you have the other person's attention and also makes it possible to obtain information more quickly. Telephone calls are also verbal exchanges. You can therefore hear the other person's tone of voice, which is very informative: you don't react in the same way to someone shouting on the phone as someone speaking calmly. However, this tool is gradually being replaced by instant messaging, as it seems more convenient to send a message and wait for a reply rather than disturbing the other person. This is why this tool may be preferable for emergencies, or complex requests, or when the subject is very difficult.
Physical exchange (and video-conferencing)
When there are 2 or more of you, physical or video conferencing is still the best way to communicate: it allows you to exchange information synchronously, and you can access all the non-verbal information from the people you are talking to, which helps you to understand them better (facial expressions, posture, tone of voice, etc.). However, it is also the means of communication that requires the most concentration at any one time, and exposes you to other people. But quality communication sometimes requires this exposure! That's why you should always switch on your camera if you're having a remote meeting. This method of communication is useful for making a joint decision on an important subject, for training, for a scheduled or informal conversation, for conversation between 2 or more people, etc. As you will have understood, there is no reason not to use this method of communication, except when the other person is unavailable, or for a very quick response, which can be done by message.
Email
Email is one of the most widely used tools, for a good reason: it allows you to send written information and documents to anyone, as long as you have their address. It was created for this purpose, which it fulfils very well. Unfortunately, the information exchanged is only in writing and is therefore open to ambiguity! It's difficult to convey an intention, even if you take a lot of time choosing your words. And once the email has been sent, it's too late to go back or qualify what you’ve said. However, it is used for all types of interaction, which can lead to a lot of errors, and even loss of information when an important email gets lost in the long list of unread emails. This tool is therefore a very good solution for sending documents or non-urgent information to people outside the company, or newsletters for example (if there is no intranet).
ANGLAIS - Elearning - Bien-être numérique - Module 2
IMS team
Created on September 30, 2024
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Transcript
DIGITAL WELL-BEING
Module 2: Hyper-responsiveness
This module was funded by the Oeuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte as part of the “Digital Well-Being for Youth” project.
OBJECTIVES OF THIS MODULE
In this module, you will learn about the cognitive fundamentals of attention and interruptions, as well as their causes and consequences. You will finish by learning about the best practices for improving efficiency on a daily basis.
ATTENTION
The brain has an essential tool for avoiding mental overload (see module 1): attention. To understand how it works, watch the video:
ATTENTION
So, did you manage to identify some of the 21 changes that took place during the video? You may not have noticed any of them, and you may not have observed all of them. Why is this? Because your brain has attention, which is a filter for selecting information.
Schematically, attention works a bit like a torch in the dark: the brain picks up information that is in the beam of light, but information that remains outside the beam is not processed.
Attention protects us from constant information overload. The brain can only process around ten pieces of information at the same time, and there are hundreds of pieces of information to process every second. Attention therefore selects the most relevant information for the task in hand.
ATTENTION
Attention moves around the environment in two ways:
Endogenousfocus
Exogenousfocus
Click on the buttons to find out more
INTERRUPTIONS
When your attention is drawn to an external disturbance, it creates a distraction. But if you decide to stop the task in progress to start a new task linked to this disturbance (picking up the phone, reading an email, answering a colleague), this creates an external interruption. And in the majority of cases, these interruptions have a damaging effect on efficiency.
INTERRUPTIONS
HYPER-RESPONSIVENESS
The problem is that today's world, particularly the world of work, demands ever greater speed in interactions. This means that your behaviour when using communication tools does not always respect the way the brain works, in particular its poor ability to manage interruptions effectively.
Hyper-responsiveness means interruptions, and you've probably already experienced this: for example, while you're working on a document, you receive an e-mail from a colleague. Intrigued, perhaps you look at the subject line, or even the whole email, and then while you're at it, start replying. But you were already busy!
In 2021, the Barometer of Digital Uses and Disconnection (Mailoop and LeLab RH) observed that: 54% of emails received a reply in less than an hour! This clearly shows that our use of communication tools is not optimal.
RULES FOR USING COMMUNICATION TOOLS
At work, we have several communication tools at our disposal. They each have their own specific features, which are not interchangeable: it is not very efficient only to send e-mails, for example.However, not having rules for using these tools encourages hyper-responsiveness because it forces you to be connected to all the tools at the same time, all the time. At work, you have:
Click on the images to find out more
THE CONCEPT OF URGENCY
In addition to the tool used, the way in which you send or receive requests encourages hyper-responsiveness. In particular, the information in the subject line of emails is not always appropriate! Take Sacha, for example. He has to ask his colleague Amélie to give him feedback on a report he has written. He will email his document to her on Tuesday morning and he needs to send the report to his manager on Friday morning.
BEST PRACTICES to avoid HYPER-RESPONSIVENESS
Hyper-responsiveness is not the best way to stay focused and efficient on a daily basis. Fortunately, there are good practices for distancing yourself from your communication tools.
Set rules for using messaging
Replace the word ‘urgent’ with the expected response time
Don't leave your emails open on your screen
Schedule times to check your e-mails
Change your status according to your need for concentration
Move your mouse over the buttons to find out more
BEST PRACTICES to avoid HYPER-RESPONSIVENESS
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
We're going to assess what you've learned with a few summary questions.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
We're going to assess what you've learned with a few summary questions.
DIGITALWELL-BEING
Module 2: Hyper-responsiveness
WELL DONE!YOU'VE COMPLETED THIS MODULE!
This module was funded by the Oeuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte as part of the “Digital Well-Being for Youth” project.
Exogenous focus of attention
Exogenous focus of attention is the ability to involuntarily shift your attention to something other than what you want to see. Distractors (a noise, a person passing, a notification, etc.) unwillingly draw your attention away from the task in hand. The characteristics of the disturbances will influence how strongly they attract your attention. The more prominent they are, such as a very loud sound, or a Gif (as opposed to an inanimate image), the more likely they are to grab your attention when you are concentrating on something else. Your own first name, for example, is a very salient piece of information for you, as are features that can arouse strong emotions in you. In the video, you may have noticed changes to the prominent features (such as the bear, which takes up a lot of space in the video), as opposed to the purely decorative features, which are of little interest.
Endogenous focus of attention
Endogenous focus of attention is the ability to voluntarily shift your attention towards the source of your choice. It's a deliberate process, which depends a great deal on the objectives you have set yourself. For example, at the moment you are deliberately focusing your attention on this text because you want to learn more about attention. Having this clear objective makes it easier to keep your attention on the text and protects you (although not 100%) from the distractions around you. If attention is a torch, intentions and objectives are the hand that directs the torch, according to your interests or needs. In the video, you might have noticed more changes if you had been instructed to look specifically at the victim's body, or the objects held by the characters, because your attention would have been focused on these features.
Instant messaging
Like email, instant messaging (Teams, WhatsApp, SMS, etc.) allows only written information to be sent. This makes it prone to ambiguity, as it is difficult to convey emotions and intentions with words alone. What's more, despite their name, these messaging services are not so instant: you can have conversations with one or more people, but the interactions last until a reply has been given. This can take several hours or even days. These tools are nonetheless useful for rapid exchanges on subjects that don't require an immediate response, as well as for informal exchanges (unlike email).
Telephone calls
Telephone calls are the oldest means of communicating, yet still have many advantages! It makes it possible to have a synchronous conversation, with a beginning and an end for everyone involved: this ensures that you have the other person's attention and also makes it possible to obtain information more quickly. Telephone calls are also verbal exchanges. You can therefore hear the other person's tone of voice, which is very informative: you don't react in the same way to someone shouting on the phone as someone speaking calmly. However, this tool is gradually being replaced by instant messaging, as it seems more convenient to send a message and wait for a reply rather than disturbing the other person. This is why this tool may be preferable for emergencies, or complex requests, or when the subject is very difficult.
Physical exchange (and video-conferencing)
When there are 2 or more of you, physical or video conferencing is still the best way to communicate: it allows you to exchange information synchronously, and you can access all the non-verbal information from the people you are talking to, which helps you to understand them better (facial expressions, posture, tone of voice, etc.). However, it is also the means of communication that requires the most concentration at any one time, and exposes you to other people. But quality communication sometimes requires this exposure! That's why you should always switch on your camera if you're having a remote meeting. This method of communication is useful for making a joint decision on an important subject, for training, for a scheduled or informal conversation, for conversation between 2 or more people, etc. As you will have understood, there is no reason not to use this method of communication, except when the other person is unavailable, or for a very quick response, which can be done by message.
Email
Email is one of the most widely used tools, for a good reason: it allows you to send written information and documents to anyone, as long as you have their address. It was created for this purpose, which it fulfils very well. Unfortunately, the information exchanged is only in writing and is therefore open to ambiguity! It's difficult to convey an intention, even if you take a lot of time choosing your words. And once the email has been sent, it's too late to go back or qualify what you’ve said. However, it is used for all types of interaction, which can lead to a lot of errors, and even loss of information when an important email gets lost in the long list of unread emails. This tool is therefore a very good solution for sending documents or non-urgent information to people outside the company, or newsletters for example (if there is no intranet).