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When I founded my company PostcardMania in 1998, the first cell phone with a color screen came onto the market. Facebook didn’t exist, cell phones absolutely didn’t fit in our pockets, and people still wrote checks at the grocery store.
The Internet was still in its infancy and we were not yet saturated with technology to the point where it took over our daily lives. It was new and fascinating, but still relegated to a desktop.
Just two decades later, and we can’t spend a single day without our smartphones in hand, social media has replaced most face-to-face interactions and checks are obsolete, with cash not far behind.
Studies show that between 2000 and 2018, the average American nearly tripled their time online, from 9.4 hours online per week to 23.6 in 2018 – and that was before the pandemic. Some studies estimate the increase in screen time during a pandemic to be between 60 and 80% among adults. All that scrolling makes us feel a certain way: 46% of respondents in one study said too much screen time was a leading cause of constant fatigue.
Not only is digital overload distracting—one study found that Americans check their smartphones 352 times a day, impacting our productivity—but it can also lead to real health problems. Medical research concludes that too much screen time leads to insomnia, vision problems, reduced bone density and high blood pressure. Beyond physical discomfort, digital overload impacts our mental and emotional health, increasing anxiety and depression.
Some companies see the solution as a complete ban on cell phones in the workplace. However, this can lead to disgruntled employees who feel more like toddlers in daycare than trusted adults. I’ve always found that people respond best to autonomy – giving them responsibility for something increases their caring factor.
There is a better way to balance a modern workplace to maintain meaningful connections and achieve our success goals. All it takes is some intentional changes…
Related: The Dangers of Digital Fatigue and How to Prioritize Your Mental Health
Create new opportunities for personal contacts in the workplace
The pandemic has transformed the workplace as the number of people working from home tripled from 2019 to 2021, but it may have led to a disconnect for convenience. So how can you re-establish those connections in the office?
Try replacing one Zoom meeting per week with in-person meetings, either in the office or even at a local coffee shop. Or host a large company-wide meeting in person once a week (like I do) so the entire workforce can see each other face-to-face across departments.
In addition to meeting about projects, start implementing fun team building events that create moments for real connection and creativity. Have each department in your company brainstorm and come up with these fun activities, like mini golf, going to an escape room, or an obstacle course. Even training together a few times a week could be a way to bring team members together.
Improve employee performance with off-screen organization and productivity tools
It probably doesn’t surprise you that someone like me – the CEO of a multimillion-dollar direct mail company – still likes to check the mailbox every day and look through the letters and cards to see what’s in there. But these days, I’m noticing more and more professionals putting down their phones and turning to pen and paper.
Whether someone is sending a letter, writing in a journal, or sitting down to plan their week with a calendar, there is something alluring about inking a smooth piece of paper and jotting down our goals, thoughts, and desires.
The conscious act of interacting with a physical object forces us to slow down, enjoy the moment, and be fully present in the experience. Help your employees plan their weeks and avoid digital distractions by giving them paper planners, desk calendars, or diaries. Also consider investing in branded magazines to boost company morale and pride.
The benefits can impact your bottom line – numerous studies show that reading comprehension, concentration and memory can be improved by switching from screen-based reading to paper-based reading.
Related: The surprising reason this young tech entrepreneur swears by pen and paper
Use direct mail marketing to increase sales and cover expenses
Creating more in-person meetings and events and providing more tangible tools to the organization come at a cost. One way to increase your budget toward these goals is to increase sales through direct mail marketing.
The United States Postal Service teamed up with researchers at Temple University’s Center for Neural Decision Making to study why printing has greater meaning for us humans. After extensive scientific research, it has been discovered that the reason direct mail has greater impact lies in the way our brain responds to stimulation.
Holding a physical advertisement activates our senses of touch, smell and sight, triggering an emotional response in a specific neural area of the brain that allows us to remember the advertisement for a longer period of time. Ultimately, the study concluded that print ads increased the desirability of the product, in contrast to digital ads, which were forgotten more quickly.
Not only can direct mail make a great impression on your target audience and ideal customer, but the response rate is up to nine times higher than email. In fact, in 2023, 74% of marketers agreed that direct mail delivers the best return on investment.
Studies also found that return on investment was 18% higher when the company included direct mail in its multichannel marketing mix instead of relying solely on digital advertising.
One of my clients, an RV and RV seller, sent out about 24,000 postcards and generated $50,000 in sales with a 590% ROI. We have over 700 other direct mail case studies with even more impressive ROIs, some reaching thousands.
Related: How to Grow Your Business with Direct Mail Automation and Retargeting – an in-depth guide for beginners
After you’ve made some of these adjustments, write down exactly how these changes have affected your business and your relationships. You’ll be surprised at the added value it brings to your daily life if you step away from the digital from time to time and focus on the magic of the tangible.