I'm a firm believer that cutting out something that hinders your productivity or overall well-being is not always the best choice, whereas in some cases it's absolutely the best choice. Take smoking cigarettes or doing illicit drugs as an example. Anyone's overall well-being will improve by cutting those things out completely.

But what about use of social media or smartphones in general? Well, a recent study on smartphone use backs up the idea that cutting down is better than abstinence. The study involved two groups of participants (plus a control group) that helped compare reduction of smartphone use vs. smartphone abstinence.

To quote the abstract:

"Both interventions reduced smartphone use intensity, problematic use tendencies, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. In both groups, life satisfaction and physical activity increased. Most effects were stronger and remained more stable over 4 months in the reduction group than in the abstinence group."

The study also points out that the group that simply reduced smartphone use also decreased the number of cigarettes smoked, contributing to a better and healthier lifestyle. This was not the case for the abstinence group.

I think this sort of thing applies to a lot of things. I often hear friends who say things like "I'm on an Instagram detox" or they tell me they've uninstalled the app or deleted their account. I think those are drastic measures that are often not the best choices. Learning to control our use of something, in my opinion, is better for your long-term well-being and overall productivity.

Of course, I'm not a doctor or a psychologist, so you should always do what's best for you and your own personal health.

Now on to this week's hand-picked productivity links!