Distraction is the number one effectiveness killer, Yousef said. The main distraction culprit? Your smartphone.
In fact, a study out of the University of Texas-Austin found that if subjects were in the same room as any iPhone, even one that's not turned on and not yours, basic intelligence, memory, and attention scores all dip. "By having your smartphone out, you are literally bringing the IQ of the entire room down," Yousef told the audience.
Smartphones distract humans because, psychologically, they are no longer just objects to place phone calls. People become emotionally attached to feelings of value or memories, whether through emotional phone calls you remember having or with pictures of relatives you store.
"These phones are emotional, we care about them, and this is why they are the most distracting thing in human history at this point," Yousef said.
Keeping iPhones away help you detach from the emotional connection you have with your phone.