Impact of reducing digital distractions on creativity : a systematic review of the effects on the creative industry

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to understand the role that digital distractions have on creative performance and the challenges organizations are facing from increased distractions. This research aims to gain knowledge on what are the varied effects of digital distractions on employee creative performance and on their wellbeing, as well to offer suggestions for employers on what kind of benefits different measures can bring to the modern workplace. The method chosen for this thesis is a systematic review of existing studies and the main outcome of this thesis are the analyzed findings based on the systematic review. As a foundation for the systematic review, the literature review section explores the related key concepts such as modern creativity, creativity in organizations, digital distractions, digital detox, and flow theory. These topics serve as the theoretical basis for the systematic review. The findings show that digital distractions have a highly negative effect on creative performance of workers. Most distractions come from different text-based applications in the form of notifications, and they contribute to increased stress and burnout. Blocking non-work sites, allowing workers to selfmanage their digital availability and promoting a work-culture that allows space for focused periods work, can all improve focus and creativity, while reducing levels of stress in work settings. However, the tradeoff between keeping the worker informed and minimizing notification overload is challenging. While this thesis provides results that can be applied on all kinds of field of information work, a similar study done in other industries could lead to more insightful results.