May is Mental Health month and I am here to talk about an important one today:
Screen Time and what it is doing to our ability to Focus.
Rockstar Nation we have been led to Focus on a screen and Houston do we have a problem!…that is a fun reference to a classic Tom Hanks movie if you didn’t get that :).
All jokes aside, our screen time we all engage in is taking away our abilities to focus and is diminishing our memory.
This is not a rant, or a time to bash on smartphones. Smartphones are computers in our pocket which is really cool if you think about how far we have come from dial up….ahhh that was interesting 🙂
As inventive and world changing a smartphone has been and is for us, it is also stealing our ability to Focus,
Focus. we are losing:
- We task switch every 65 seconds
- Our memory has diminished by 20%
- On average Americans spend 3-6 hours on their phones per day
- The younger you are, the closer it is to 6 hours. wow!
- Americans click their phone between 185-210 times per day
- Over half of Americans have admitted to being addicted to their phones.
- 90% are on their phones while watching TV, which at one time was said “rots your brain”…laughable until now.
The cool facts have been thrown down and are right in our face with no pun intended. What can we do to be more aware of our known personal usage and how can we start to make
-Small Steps to improve
-in a Simple way
-to gain practical strategies to make high impact steps to improve our cognitive health.
While at my last conference I was told about a great book called
“Stolen Focus” by Johann Hari.
In this book Johann gives us some solid ideas that are simple and easy to implement:
1. Practice “Pre-commitment” to Unplug
- Use physical barriers to stop task switching. Use a timed lockbox where you can put your phone away for a set time each day.
- A digital version can be used like “Freedom” to cut off internet access from over usage
2. Actively seek “Flow” states
- Reclaiming focus is not just about removing distractions, it is about filling that space with meaningful activities. To achieve our “Flow”
a. Choose only 1 task
b. Make it a challenging task or a goal
c. This goal should push your abilities, but should not be overwhelming.
3. Allow your Mind to Wander
Johann talks about how constant simulation will prevent your brain from making deep connections.
So Schedule time to Wander. This can be some exercise we Rockstar Nation know well from my other newsletter:
- Wander in the woods for a long walk or hike
- Surf the Ocean
- Kayak at the lake
- Do some Chorus….without music or a podcast from your smartphone 🙂
- This will allow your brain to process information and boost creativity.
As I like to say to my wonderful clients:
“Keep it Simple. Take it 1 Day at a time.”
This is a battle we all face and we face together. Be the change you want to see in others Rockstars and Headliners.
-Jake Cheney
Rockstar Fitness, LLC.
Reference :
Johann Hari
“Stolen Focus. Why you can’t Pay Attention and how to Think Deeply Again.”
c. 2022