Digital withdrawal: change for sustainable leadership
Digital media strongly characterise our everyday working life today. Managers in particular are under enormous pressure to be constantly available and informed. It is becoming increasingly clear that a conscious digital withdrawal becomes indispensable for managers. It helps to minimise distractions and focus specifically on the essential tasks and strategic decisions.
The constant availability and flood of information quickly lead to excessive demands and stress-related exhaustion. A digital withdrawal offers a valuable space to reflect on your own working methods, reorganise priorities and develop sustainable leadership skills.
Why managers should adapt their media consumption
Leaders take responsibility for teams and projects and are often the first point of contact when challenges arise. At the same time, a flood of emails, chat services and video conferences demand a constant response. This creates stress and reduces the ability to make clear decisions.
A targeted digital withdrawal brings decisive advantages: It creates space to focus on important strategic issues and stimulates new ideas for teamwork. This deliberate offline time also supports personal resilience - in other words, the ability to cope better with stress.
BEST PRACTICE at company XY (name changed due to NDA contract) In this medium-sized company, the management integrated regular digital breaks into the working day. Managers switch off their email notifications for certain periods of time and hold strategic meetings without digital distractions. This has increased productivity and improved communication within the team.
Digital detox as a tool for coping with stress and time
The constant digital presence often leads to a feeling of permanent overload. That is why the digital withdrawal has become an important topic in many companies as a means of reducing stress. It enables a clear demarcation between working time and recovery time and prevents burnout symptoms or concentration problems from developing.
Those who regularly take time out from digital devices not only improve their mental health, but also increase their performance. With their energy levels restored, managers can think more creatively and act more empathetically.
BEST PRACTICE with an international service provider (name changed due to NDA contract) The management level introduced „Digital Detox Days“: On these days, digital devices were switched off during certain time windows. The managers used these phases for focussed work and thus sustainably improved the quality of their decisions.
How managers implement a successful digital detox
An effective digital withdrawal is not a complete renunciation, but a conscious and controlled use of digital media. Managers can use such strategies to improve their digital balance:
Firstly, it is advisable to define fixed times when no emails or messages are answered - for example during strategic meetings or during lunch breaks. In addition, functions such as email notifications can be specifically deactivated to minimise distractions.
Another approach is to clearly separate digital communication channels: Professional and private use should be separated in terms of time and space. This creates more calm and clarity.
BEST PRACTICE at a consulting company (name changed due to NDA contract) Here, „offline“ times were firmly entered in the calendar during which the manager did not use any digital devices. This deliberate break was used to deepen strategic assessments and hold better discussions with colleagues. The feedback was consistently positive because concentration increased.
Tips for a sustainable digital detox in day-to-day management
In addition to fixed offline times, managers can benefit from small measures: For example, a daily „digital morning ritual“ without a smartphone is a good way to start the day. Deliberate breaks with analogue activities, such as walks or discussions without technology, also support the recovery effect.
It is important to set realistic goals and involve the entire workforce in order to create the right corporate culture. Managers set a good example here and thus create an understanding of the value of the digital withdrawal.
My analysis
A conscious digital withdrawal is more than just a technical opportunity for managers to switch off. It is an essential accompanying measure to improve the quality of leadership, regain direction and strengthen their own resilience. By consciously taking time out from the media, leaders can increase their productivity, communicate more mindfully and thus better support the entire team. As a result, companies benefit from more creative solutions and a health-promoting work culture.
Further links from the text above:
Digital withdrawal: Why real leadership needs distance now [1]
Digital detox: The freedom of being offline - Thomas Mangold [2]
Digital detox - how to properly detox digitally [5]
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