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September 16 - November 13, 2022
Your life is what you pay attention to
We’ve never stopped to think about why smartphones are so hard to put down, or who might be benefiting when we pick them up.
phubbing, short for phone snubbing),
When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail:
Multiple studies have associated the heavy use of smartphones (especially when used for social media) with negative effects on neuroticism, self-esteem, impulsivity, empathy, self-identity, and self-image, as well as with sleep problems, anxiety, stress, and depression.
iGen as being on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades.”
I read about habits and addictions, neuroplasticity, and how smartphones are causing otherwise mentally healthy people to show signs of psychiatric problems such as narcissism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
I’d go so far as to say that it’s a societal addiction—and we need to do something about it.
I created readings and assignments based on my research on mindfulness, habits, choice architecture, distraction, focus, attention, meditation, product design, behavioral addictions, neuroplasticity, psychology, sociology, and the history of disruptive technologies.
Smartphones engage in disruptive behaviors that have traditionally been performed only by extremely annoying people.
“Never get high on your own supply.”
Never before in history have the decisions of a handful of designers (mostly men, white, living in SF, aged 25–35) working at 3 companies had so much impact on how millions of people around the world spend their attention.
WE ARE NOVELTY JUNKIES
But what really gets us hooked isn’t consistency; it’s unpredictability. It’s knowing that something could happen—but not knowing when or if that something will occur.
This is a really big deal, because our attention is the most valuable thing we have. We experience only what we pay attention to. We remember only what we pay attention to. When we decide what to pay attention to in the moment, we are making a broader decision about how we want to spend our lives.
But that’s not to say that we only casually focus our attention on our phones. On the contrary, they completely absorb us. The result is what seems like should be an oxymoron: an intensely focused state of distraction.
Focus isn’t profitable. Distraction is.
In other words, what we think of as irresistible impulses are actually invitations being sent by our minds. This is an important insight, because once you recognize this, you can ask your mind why it’s inviting you to such crappy parties.
The moment you recognize that you don’t have to say yes to every invitation is the moment you gain control over your life—both on and off your phone.
WEEK 1: TECHNOLOGY TRIAGE Day 1 (Monday): Download a Tracking App Day 2 (Tuesday): Assess Your Current Relationship Day 3 (Wednesday): Start Paying Attention Day 4 (Thursday): Take Stock and Take Action Day 5 (Friday): Delete Social Media Apps Day 6 (Saturday): Come Back to (Real) Life Day 7 (Sunday): Get Physical WEEK 2: CHANGING YOUR HABITS Day 8 (Monday): Say “No” to Notifications Day 9 (Tuesday): The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Apps Day 10 (Wednesday): Change Where You Charge It Day 11 (Thursday): Set Yourself Up for Success Day 12 (Friday): Download an App-Blocker Day 13 (Saturday):
...more
our lives are what we pay attention to.
What do you want to pay attention to?
They generally feel sort of like a coffee buzz—energizing, edgy, and ephemeral.”
Also,
Do a crossword in a café. Go on a day trip. Take a hike. Sign up for a class. Plan a game night. Go to a museum. Draw something. Write a short story. Make a date with a friend. Cook something interesting.
The difference between technology and slavery is that slaves are fully aware that they are not free.
“Checking your phone is like picking your nose: there’s nothing wrong with it, but no one should have to watch you do it.”
We all have a somewhat inflated sense of our own importance.)
Stop, Breathe, and Be is just what it sounds like:
“If we immediately entertain ourselves by talking, by acting, by thinking—if there’s never any pause—we will never be able to relax. We will always be speeding through our lives.”
“How you do anything is how you do everything.”
“I need to ‘put the phone in its place’ more often.”
What’s the best thing that could happen as a result of your checking? What’s the best email you could receive? The best piece of news? The best notification? What’s the best emotion that you could experience?
The best way to accomplish this is to make decisions ahead of time about how we want to act in particular situations, so that when we encounter those situations, we follow our new, healthy habits without having to think.
What do you want to pay attention to in your life?
this is your life—what do you want to pay attention to?
Reset Your Child’s Brain:
Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids—and
