Embrace screen time for greater productivity.

According to a January report in the New York Times, kids spend and average of 7 ½ hours a day on various electronic devices, whether locked into screen time with a smartphone, computer, TV or video games, or in some combination. And the only reason it’s not HIGHER, is the inconvenience of school six hours a day.

Granted the study used a small sample of 2,000 students, and the researchers were from a “Family Foundation,” but data was also collected in 2008, and whatever the real screen time hours were then, they’ve only gone up.

Future valued insurance customers ranging from grades three to 12, some on the cusp of adulthood, can barely survive without a mobile device or internet connection. I’ve literally had a conversation with my 17 year-old cousin where she is listening to an iPod while texting and looking over my shoulder at a TV screen, offering the occasional courtesy nod to give the impression of listening.

Of course this is a gross generalization, not all youths are screen-dependent technology zombies. But even if the exact data is a bit fuzzy, our youth are sending strong signals about the way they like to be reached, and we are smart to feel an obligation to learn these new tools and techniques, or we run the risk of being phased out.

Establishing a screen time comfort zone is a must. Not everyone is cut out to be an eight-hour a day desk/monitor jockey, but even simple ergonomic adjustments can make prolonged screen time more comfortable and productive.

Ironically, in the past month, there’s been an influx of Astonish Results employees adopting the practice of “working while standing,” mainly because of one team member’s decision to work vertically and the subsequent sharing of this BusinessWeek article, “Your Office Chair will Kill You.” Ergonomics may not be the final answer towards embracing screen time, but it certainly won’t hurt, and in some cases, it will literally make the hurting less.

My son will never be allowed to zone out in front of video games for five hours straight, or run up my phone bill with 1500 text messages in a week, but I will always respect his decision to use screen time to research and make an informed decision, even if I am a bit hurt the first time he says, “Why would I ask you dad, I’ll just ask Google.”

The days of detached insurance marketing are over, we must be seeking interaction and conversation with customers and potential customers on a daily basis. Sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer says, “Social media is the new cold call,” and even if the rules of engagement are different, social media lives online, behind a screen. Social media can get you out of the agency, but only with a commitment to screen time.

Teaser - Part II will focus on additional ergonomic and operational adjustments you can make to enhance your screen time productivity.