iPhone posture needs careful handling
New studies have shown that smartphone overuse is a significant health and safety risk. It can damage hand functions, pinch strength and causes pain in the thumb. Smartphone overuse negatively affects our spine and neck. It can lead to headaches. Repetitive smartphone use can negatively affect our respiratory function and should be included in risk control training.
Amy Cuddy is a Harvard researcher that has done extensive psychological research related to the mind-body connection. She is most well known for her work related to body posture’s effect on our feelings, perceptions and social power dynamics. She came to national prominence with a TED talk that went viral. Take a look at it here to get a taste of her fascinating research.
The average person checks their smartphone 150 times a day. Positive consequential reward is the reason why. This is a form of psychological stroking seen in addictive slot machines. When you scroll down your screen you don’t know what is coming next. You don’t know what the next pull (slot machine) or swipe (smartphone) will generate. Sometimes your action is rewarded by your phone – a funny comment on social media, emoji smiles etc. Those intermittent rewards prod you to keep swiping, scrolling, on and on, losing track of time and the world around you.
Boss the phone or it will boss you and every employer should include smartphone risk in manual handling training.
Training is an investment for success
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