Digital Detox Guidance for American Professionals

McLean, Va. – This week, ahead of National Day of Unplugging, the Paper & Packaging – How Life Unfolds® campaign is sharing guidance for American professionals looking to examine their digital consumption in the workplace. National Day of Unplugging encourages people across the country to take a digital break to better connect with themselves, their families and their communities. For those in digital workplaces, unplugging is more difficult than ever. To help, the campaign has created tips for American professionals at www.howlifeunfolds.com.

Launched in October, the campaign’s Workplace Productivity Report surveyed 1,000 working professionals nationwide and found that workers are experiencing digital overload across the board. With the onslaught of distracting notifications, instant messaging platforms and multiple devices, many are finding it difficult to maintain productivity and achieve daily goals. The survey found that:

Over half (52%) of office professionals are suffering from digital overload.

87% of office professionals say they spend the majority of their workday staring at screens: an average of seven hours a day.

49% of office professionals feel that screen overload is making them less productive.

53% say they use technology specifically to procrastinate at work.

While most in the workplace can’t fully unplug, they are finding refuge in balancing digital with analog tools and practices to better optimize the workday:

Over three in five (62%) rely on paper as much as or more than digital devices to get their job done.

75% think it’s important to have the option to use paper in the workplace whenever they want.

47% feel that paper provides a much-needed break from technology.

96% prefer to work with hard copies over digital versions of the same information, especially for high focus tasks.

Consumers can visit www.nationaldayofunplugging.com to take the unplugging pledge. And, for those in digital-focused offices looking to participate, head to www.howlifeunfolds.com for productivity hacks and tools to make meetings more beneficial.