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When the phone's away, people use their computer to play: distance to the smartphone reduces device usage but not overall distraction and task fragmentation during work

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  • Heitmayer, Maxi

Abstract

The smartphone helps workers balance the demands of their professional and personal lives but can also be a distraction, affecting productivity, wellbeing, and work-life balance. Drawing from insights on the impact of physical environments on object engagement, this study examines how the distance between the smartphone and the user influences interactions in work contexts. Participants (N=22) engaged in two 5h knowledge work sessions on the computer, with the smartphone placed outside their immediate reach during one session. Results show that limited smartphone accessibility led to reduced smartphone use, but participants shifted non-work activities to the computer and the time they spent on work and leisure activities overall remained unchanged. These findings suggest that discussions on smartphone disruptiveness in work contexts should consider the specific activities performed, challenging narratives of 'smartphone addiction' and 'smartphone overuse' as the cause of increased disruptions and lowered work productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Heitmayer, Maxi, 2025. "When the phone's away, people use their computer to play: distance to the smartphone reduces device usage but not overall distraction and task fragmentation during work," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 127186, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
  • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:127186
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/127186/
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    workplace interruptions; work fragmentation; smartphone; productivity; distraction; REF fund;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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