E-mails 'hurt IQ more than pot'
LONDON, England -- Workers distracted by phone calls, e-mails and text
messages suffer a greater loss of IQ than a person smoking marijuana, a
British study shows.
The constant interruptions reduce productivity and leave people feeling
tired and lethargic, according to a survey carried out by TNS Research and
commissioned by Hewlett Packard.
The survey of 1,100 Britons showed:
€ Almost two out three people check their electronic messages out of
office hours and when on holiday
€ Half of all workers respond to an e-mail within 60 minutes of
receiving one
€ One in five will break off from a business or social engagement to
respond to a message.
€ Nine out of 10 people thought colleagues who answered messages
during face-to-face meetings were rude, while three out of 10 believed it
was not only acceptable, but a sign of diligence and efficiency.
But the mental impact of trying to balance a steady inflow of messages with
getting on with normal work took its toll, the UK's Press Association
reported.
In 80 clinical trials, Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychiatrist at King's College
London University, monitored the IQ of workers throughout the day.
He found the IQ of those who tried to juggle messages and work fell by 10
points -- the equivalent to missing a whole night's sleep and more than
double the 4-point fall seen after smoking marijuana.
"This is a very real and widespread phenomenon," Wilson said. "We have found
that this obsession with looking at messages, if unchecked, will damage a
worker's performance by reducing their mental sharpness.
"Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working."
Wilson said the IQ drop was even more significant in the men who took part
in the tests.
"The research suggests that we are in danger of being caught up in a 24-hour
'always on' society," said David Smith of Hewlett Packard.
"This is more worrying when you consider the potential impairment on
performance and concentration for workers, and the consequent impact on
businesses."
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