Technological devices such as cell phones or (smart) televisions can provide enormous support for dads. With platforms to attend forums and conferences using different high-quality educational and personalized apps, technology can benefit dads. It can help a dad as an individual with his job and as a father with kids. However, when the purpose of a “technological device” is not known, its abuse is inevitable. That is why technology devices are hindering the productivity of dads.
Dad brings digital technological devices home
McDaniel and Jenny Radesky surveyed parents about their tech use, “48 percent reported that technoference happened many times a day.” (Technoference is the interruption in interpersonal communications caused by paying attention to the personal technological device.) Apart from notifications and calls buzzing the phone every day, bringing digital work home is a major cause of technoference. Now, with the thought of digital work to be done, dads are more prone to cling to their gadgets than paying attention to what their children are saying. Whichever way, it is a productivity loss on both ends because the child may not be well attended to. If the child persists in requesting your attention, the work will not be well done. Now, I have learned to set boundaries. Work must stay at work, and family time is family time.
The screen has become addictive
Dad’s productivity can also be hindered by how he uses his technological devices. Be it a cell phone, television, or video games. When dad constantly exceeds his schedules when using any technological devices, his productivity will be hindered. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, “Our report found strong evidence that greater screen time is a cause of weight gain, overweight, and obesity in adults.” This shows that an addicted dad's productivity stands a risk of failing health-wise. Once an addiction to screen causes disorganization and lateness to a meeting, dad's productivity is hindered.
Finally, the demand for technological devices is expected to increase in the coming days. The increase is not just the “information highway” technological devices give us access to but also the addiction that comes with using technological devices.
Pandemic doesn't help!
With COVID-19 pandemic more use of technological devices is skyrocketing, from home schooling, to tele-health visits, to parents working remotely from home. All these scenarios provide a very fertile spot for bad addiction to go unchecked; and consequently poor productivity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, technoference needs to be addressed in our families. Assessing ourselves on the issue of addiction is certainly important. Closely monitoring our kids' learning process is paramount. These three checkmarks should lessen the productivity hindrance that dads are facing and protect to an extent our precious kids' learning process.