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If you’ve ever watched your kid completely zone out because they’re involved with their phone, daydream during something important or remain oblivious of a clear household hazard, you may wonder how they will fare at work. The good news is that teens and young adults often rise to the occasion, being careful and responsible in ways they just aren’t at home. (Call that Parenting Mystery #437.)
Still, being distracted in the workplace is a real and significant safety issue, with outcomes that can include injury to self or others, decreased productivity, increased mistakes, making it difficult for workers to retain knowledge, poor work relationships and internal conflict, says Kelly Hultink, a workplace health and safety professional. Clearly, it’s worth it to check in with your child to make sure they’re both aware and proactive about the dangers of distraction. Here are 5 things to keep in mind about the various forms that distraction can take.
1. Multitasking or rushing
- Trying to accomplish several things at once, or hurrying, may feel like you’re being productive when in truth you’re not doing any of the tasks effectively, says Kelly.
- Take the time to focus on one task, get it done properly and safely, and then move on to the next.
- Ask your child to think about the root cause: Why are you multitasking? Were you not given enough time to do the task? Were there too many other work demands? Brainstorm about how they can break down tasks so they can be accomplished separately and safely.
2. Looking at the phone
- For some workplaces, phones are required to be stored in a locker or another secure area. If that’s not the case, your child can still remove or limit access to their phone on their own by turning off notifications and keeping it zipped in a jacket or locked away.
- Remember that not only are smartphones distracting to workers and coworkers, but people may remove safety equipment like hearing protection, work gloves or safety glasses to use their phones, leading to other potential safety issues.
3. Fatigue
- Being overtired can be equal to or even worse than being impaired by alcohol or drugs, says Kelly. “When that happens, there are so many more opportunities for error, injuries and incidents in the workplace, because you aren’t focusing or paying attention when you’re tired.”
- Talk to your child about making adequate sleep a priority.
- Make sure lunch and rest breaks are offered on the job, and that your child takes them.
4. Daydreaming
- If your child is a daydreamer, gently point out that tendency to raise their awareness. (Daydreaming in your downtime can be a fun and positive thing to do, of course.)
- Talk about techniques to stay in the moment, such as counting five things you see or feel, suggests Kelly.
- If the daydreaming is about anxiety for the future or replaying something that happened in the past, this can be a good opportunity to talk to a counsellor or another supportive person to help sort things out.
4. Confusion
- Being new to the workforce or new to a particular job can be daunting, but young people may be hesitant to ask for help because they don’t want to be seen as less than capable. Kelly notes that there are a few helpful questions to ask your child: Could you be distracted because you are uncertain about how to complete the task? Is your mind searching for answers on how to run a machine or what the next step is in the process? What can you do to get more comfortable?
- Reinforce that it’s totally okay to ask for help and clarification when you don’t understand so that you can put your focus on getting the job done and not just figuring it out.
- Suggest to your child that they keep their work area as clean and organized as possible, so they aren’t distracted by clutter or putting their attention into looking for something.
Want some tips about making sure your child hears what you’re saying about the dangers of being distracted at work? Check out our blog post, 6 ways to get your kids to listen about workplace safety for some ideas for getting through to young people.