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In 1998, when I started my business, PostcardMania, the first mobile phone with a color screen was released. Facebook didn’t exist, phones absolutely didn’t fit in our pockets, and people still wrote checks at the grocery store.
The internet was in its infancy and we weren’t saturated with technology to the point where it overtook our daily lives. It was new and exciting, yet moved to desktop.
Just two decades later and we can’t go a day without our smartphones in our hands, social media has replaced most personal interactions and checks have become obsolete with cash.
Between 2000 and 2018, studies show that the average American nearly tripled their time online, going from 9.4 hours online per week to 23.6 hours in 2018 — and that was before the pandemic. Some studies show a spike in screen time between 60-80% for adults. All that scrolling is making us feel a certain way: 46% of respondents in one survey said too much screen time was a major culprit in chronic fatigue.
Not only does digital overload distract us—a study found that US residents check their smartphones 352 times a day, affecting our productivity—but it can also lead to real health problems. Medical research has concluded that too much screen time leads to insomnia, vision problems, decreased bone density and high blood pressure. In addition to physical ailments, digital overload affects our mental and emotional health, increasing anxiety and depression.
Some companies see the decision as a complete ban on mobile phones in the workplace. Yet this can lead to disgruntled employees who feel more like toddlers in kindergarten than trusted adults. I’ve always found that people respond best to autonomy – give them ownership of something and their care factor goes up.
There is a better way to balance the modern workplace to maintain meaningful relationships and achieve our goals for success. It just takes some deliberate changes…
Related: The dangers of digital fatigue and how to prioritize your mental health
Create new opportunities for personal connection at work
The pandemic has transformed the workplace as telecommuting rates tripled from 2019 to 2021, but it could lead to disconnection for convenience. So how can you restore those relationships in the office?
Try replacing one Zoom meeting a week with in-person meetings at the office or even a local coffee shop. Or hold one big company-wide meeting once a week in person (like I do) so all staff can see each other face-to-face in individual departments.
Beyond just meeting for projects, start implementing fun team-building events that create moments of real connection and creativity. Have each department in your company brainstorm and come up with these fun activities, such as mini golf, a visit to an escape room, or an obstacle course. Even working together a few times a week can be a way to bring team members together.
Improve staff performance with off-screen organizational and productivity tools
It probably comes as no surprise to you that someone like me—the CEO of a multi-million dollar direct mail company—still enjoys checking the mailbox every day and going through the letters and cards to see what’s in there. But these days, I’m noticing more professionals putting down their phones and picking up pen and paper.
Whether one is sending a letter, writing in a journal, or sitting down to plan one’s week with a calendar book, there is something appealing about hitting ink on a smooth piece of paper and jotting down our goals, thoughts, and desires.
The intentional act of interacting with a physical object forces us to slow down, enjoy the moment, and be fully present in the experience. Help staff members plan their weeks and avoid digital distractions by giving them paper planners, desk calendars or diaries. Consider investing in branded magazines as well to boost morale and company pride.
The benefits can trickle down to your bottom line—numerous studies show that reading comprehension, focus, and memory can be improved by switching from reading on a screen to something on paper.
Related: The surprising reason this young tech entrepreneur swears by pen and paper
Use direct mail marketing to increase revenue and cover costs
Creating more in-person meetings and events, as well as providing more tangible tools for organization, comes at a price. One way to increase your budget for these purposes is to increase revenue with direct mail marketing.
The United States Postal Service has partnered with researchers at Temple University’s Center for Neural Decision Making to investigate why print matters more to us as humans. It turns out, after intense scientific research, that the reason direct mail has more impact is because of the way our brains respond to stimulation.
Holding a physical ad activates our senses of touch, smell and sight and triggers an emotional response in a specific neural area of the brain that allows us to remember the ad for a longer period of time. Ultimately, the study found that print ads increased product appeal, unlike digital ads, which were forgotten more quickly.
Not only can direct mail make a great impression on your target audience and ideal customer, its response rate is up to nine times higher than email. In fact, in 2023, 74% of marketers agreed that direct mail provides the best return on investment.
Additionally, studies have found that there is an 18% greater return on investment when businesses incorporate direct mail into their multi-channel marketing mix, rather than relying solely on digital marketing.
One of my RV and Motorhome clients sent out about 24,000 postcards and made $50,000 in revenue for a 590% ROI. We have over 700 other direct mail case studies with even more impressive ROIs, some reaching several thousands.
Related: How to Boost Your Business with Direct Mail and Forwarding Automation – A Beginner’s Guide
After making some of these adjustments, write down exactly how these changes have affected your business and relationships. You might be surprised to find how much value is added to your daily life by disconnecting from the digital once in a while and focusing on the magic of the tangible.
