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The less-tech-is-more business

Productivity will rise once we opt out of unnecessary tech in our lives

The less-tech-is-more business
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Leonid Bershidsky
Research on the so-called productivity paradox — declining productivity despite the ongoing technological revolution — abounds in explanations ranging from statistical error to theories predicting that a productivity leap is just around the corner. One possibility is conspicuously missing: Any positive effect digital innovation is having on productivity is offset by how counterproductively distracting and energy-draining its fruits have become.
 
Perhaps the paradox will disappear, and productivity will start rising again, once we learn to opt out of unnecessary tech in our lives without getting a sense that we’re missing out on something.
 
In 2016, the average American spent a total