The rise of smartphones and other electronic devices might be a boon for workplace communication, but it's proving to be downright distracting for many workers.

More than half of the 300 full-time American workers polled by Apex Performance said they check their email more than 11 times a day, and one-third said they check it every time they receive notification of an incoming message.

The study suggests that workers who are deluged by communications end up distracted and unable to concentrate on a single task.

For more, read "Think Checking Your Email Often Will Increase Productivity? Think Again" by Laura Walter of sister publication EHS Today.