Experiment- Findings, Reflection, and Interesting "Prickles"

               My experiment has focused on limiting cell phone use in order to strengthen my ability to focus and complete assigned tasks.  Thus far, I have completed two different methods in an attempt to reach my goal of only using my phone during breaks in my work.  The first method was to place my phone in a location which was out of my sight.  I chose to place it in my desk drawer, which although within reach, was still not visible.  I definitely noticed improvements in my work habits, since I thought about my phone a lot less often now that I couldn’t see it whenever my eyes drifted away from my work.  Although I was a bit concerned about missing important messages or calls, I ended up not missing anything important.  The main reason for this was because I told myself that I could not check my phone until I finished the task at hand.  This motivated me to finish my work quickly and then check my phone, so not only did I check my phone, but I also finished my work in a productive manner.  The method used here is similar to guiding a dog with a treat.  Only once the dog finishes the race, competition, or task can the dog get the treat, and only once I finish with a certain segment of my work can I check my phone.

               Although the first method seemed to be fairly effective, I felt as if I needed to have further motivation to stay away from my phone, so I created a second method.  I brought my phone out onto my desk, so it was visible, but with several days of mental control preventing me from looking at it, I thought I would be okay.  For the most part I was fine and was not distracted by my phone, but in case I were to get distracted, I set up a punishment system.  For each time I looked at my phone unnecessarily, I forced myself to do fifteen push-ups.  This added motivation seems to be fairly effective, and it seems that I have nearly reached my new goal of not being distracted by my phone.  Initially, I set out to avoid using my phone in an excessive and distractive manner, but as I completed the experiment, I realized that using my phone wasn’t necessarily the problem, but being distracted by it when I wasn’t using it was the main concern.  It appears I have addressed this concern, and there is a good amount of research showing that this problem is not only an issue for me, but many people experience this issue.  In an experiment (which was published in Social Psychology), two groups of students were tested, with one of the groups having their cell phones on the desks and the other group had their cell phone out of sight.  The group which had the cell phone out of sight performed significantly better than the other group, and the difference was most notably during more difficult problems.  I believe this correlates directly to my issue, and I think the experiment I have performed has helped me to be stronger mentally to avoid distraction caused by my cell phone.