May 2 – The Responsibility of Attention: Balancing Screen Time in a Digital World

“Be here and now and savor the delight of the current moment.” Deepak Chopra

In today's digital age, our attention is constantly under siege. The devices in our pockets, filled with apps and notifications, demand our focus, often pulling us away from the present moment and fragmenting our ability to concentrate on single tasks. I have been trying to manage my own phone use and this has caused me to reflect on the broader social effects of our increasing screen time.

We often pride ourselves on multitasking, believing we can juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. My son claims to be able to type a paper, listen to a book and play Minecraft all at the same time. Research suggests otherwise. Catherine Price aptly points out, “There’s actually no such thing as multitasking, because our brains can’t do two cognitively demanding things at once. When we think we’re multitasking, we’re actually doing what researchers call ‘task-switching’.” This constant switching between tasks not only reduces our efficiency but also places undue stress on our minds. This is probably why I feel like I get my best writing done in the wee, small hours of the morning. It feels like the whole world is asleep and I can laser focus on this one task.

Our smartphones offer a plethora of distractions, from social media to games and endless scrolling. The average American spends over four hours a day on their phone, a significant amount of time that could be spent on more enriching activities. As Price highlights, “As of 2017, Americans were spending an estimated average of more than 4 hours a day on their phones. What skills are the hours we’re spending on our phones training us to develop-and at what cost?”

“Just as neurons that fire together wire together, neurons that don’t fire together don’t wire together. As the time we spend scanning web pages crowds out the time we spend reading books…the circuits that support these old intellectual functions and pursuits weaken and begin to break apart.” Nicholas Carr

The continuous multitasking and screen time have detrimental effects on our attention spans and cognitive abilities. Price notes, “We worry that heavy multitasking may be creating people who are unable to think well and clearly. By weakening our attention spans and our memories, our phones are damaging our ability to single-task, too.” Our phones, with their constant pings and notifications, fragment our attention, making it difficult to focus on one task at a time and diminishing our ability to engage deeply with our surroundings.

Our attention is naturally drawn to changes in our environment, a survival mechanism from our evolutionary past. Price explains, “The first thing to understand about our attention is our default. Human beings are naturally distractible because in nature, things are often trying to kill us. We want our attention to be drawn to changes in our environments, because those changes might indicate a threat.” While this instinct served us well in the wild, in today's world, it often leads to unnecessary distractions and heightened stress levels.

In contrast to the digital overload, nature offers a respite for our minds. Research shows that spending time outdoors can significantly improve mental health and reduce stress. Elissa Epel emphasizes this point, stating, “62% of people in the UK reported finding relief by going for a walk in urban gardens and parks. By shifting our physical environment, we can shift our mental state.”

In our quest for efficiency, we often overlook the importance of single-tasking, focusing our attention on one task at a time. Julie Smith observes, “Your attention is valuable and helps to create your experience of life. So learning to control where you direct it can have a powerful impact on your life and your mood.” By consciously choosing where to direct our attention, we can enhance our productivity, creativity, and overall well-being.

While technology offers numerous benefits, it's essential to establish boundaries and cultivate mindful phone use. Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst provide practical tips, suggesting, “Disable push notifications, remove apps that demand your attention, and turn off your phone at certain times. And very important: Do not place your phone too close to you. You will be less likely to check your screen out of boredom or as an automatic reflex.”

Our phones, while incredibly useful, can also be a source of distraction, stress, and reduced productivity. As we navigate the digital landscape, it's crucial to recognize the impact of our screen time on our attention, cognitive abilities, and overall well-being. By adopting mindful phone habits, embracing nature, and prioritizing single-tasking, we can reclaim our attention, enhance our focus, and cultivate a healthier relationship with technology.

Activity –

Digital Detox Day: Dedicate one day a week to be completely free from screens. Spend time outdoors, read a book, or engage in a hobby. Think of it as a challenge or an adventure!

In today's increasingly digital world, it's easy to lose sight of what makes us human. The constant bombardment of screens and social media can distract us from cultivating essential qualities like kindness, empathy, and resilience.

My book, Nurturing Hopeful Resilience,  guides parents and caregivers through the challenges of raising children in a technology-driven age. It explores the importance of instilling strong values in children from a young age to help them develop into compassionate, responsible, and fulfilled individuals.

Through a series of practical exercises and insightful reflections, this book delves into fourteen core values: curiosity, awareness, kindness, learning, self-awareness, fairness, playfulness, compassion, service, belonging, trustworthiness, authenticity, community, and responsibility. Understanding and nurturing these values can empower our children to thrive in a complex and ever-changing world.

This book offers a roadmap for raising children who are academically successful, emotionally intelligent, socially adept, and morally grounded. It encourages readers to prioritize human connection, empathy, and compassion over material possessions and fleeting digital distractions. By embracing the power of values, we can create a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come.