The idea that you can concentrate better by hiding your phone sounds logical, but research shows that this is not always effective. Although people indeed reach for their phones less often when they are further away, they often replace this time by sitting at their computer, keeping the total screen time roughly the same.
In the study, participants had to work for 5 hours, of which an average of 3.5 hours was spent productively, regardless of whether their phone was within reach or not.
Notable findings:
- With your phone within reach, you spend almost twice as long on it, an average of 14 minutes more per session
- The duration per use remains the same, but you pick up your phone more frequently when it’s nearby
- When the smartphone was not accessible, participants spent more time on their computer, but the number of activities on the computer remained unchanged
This suggests that the problem is not the devices themselves, but rather your habits and time management. Concentration issues seem to be more related to your environment and activities than to the technology itself.
The research emphasizes that it is more important to adjust your habits around technology use than to focus on the devices. Hiding your phone is therefore not necessarily the solution; a more conscious and controlled approach to technology can be more effective in reducing distraction and stress.
