KICK YOUR ADDICTION: IM & SLACK

MODERATE

Log in at set times instead of having the platform running constantly. Put your phone in airplane mode when doing important work. Use emergency override settings to approve certain contacts so you won’t worry about missing important messages.

AGGRESSIVE

Disable features that show others whether you’re online, reducing pressure to respond instantly, says Virginia Tech University associate professor William Becker, coauthor of the study “Exhausted, but Unable to Disconnect.”

EXTREME

Ask your manager to adopt another form of communication. “Instant messaging is more dangerous than email because it’s more demanding of an immediate response,” says Becker. And those annoying notifications don’t go away until you read them.