Feb 13, 2021
In this episode, we’re talking about being very intentional about the time we spend on our phone and the relationship we have with it.
Lindsay’s been researching what experts call “digital minimalism” and how we can apply it to our lives so we are less phone obsessed and using it primarily in ways that add to our lives and gives us returns on the small number of things that we really care about and get to where we're ok missing the out on the rest.
We are using our phones for things that add valuable to our lives, and not mindlessly scrolling.
In a time when there is no avoiding it, we have to be smart about it and use your tech to work for you, not against you.
Lindsay is sharing lots of tips that experts give on how to stop being distracted all day by the pinging of your phone and why we’ve almost completely eliminated down-time and why it’s so important to get back.
We’re working on breaking our addiction to our phones today friends!
A few key points from this podcast:
-Like most things Lindsay thinks the answer lies in the middle... it’s all about moderation.
-Goal: "I know what I’m all about and I know what I want to do with my time. I know what’s important to me. I put tech to work strategically to help the things I really care about- and then everything else that’s out there I just ignore."
-Physiology researcher named
Sophie Leroy found that-
-If
you’re focused on something hard- and you switch over to check on
an email or text- there’s some residue that’s left from that switch
over- you aren’t as sharp as you were before
that.
-So
you’re basically dumber. Even if it’s for one minute. There’s a
residue that takes awhile to clear out. It’s like you’re not as
sharp.
-The
way a lot of us work is that we are constantly doing these quick
checks- and it can make us feel productive - but we are losing
quality of our performance. We don’t even realize
this!
-This is why we have to prioritize these long
stretches. We are avoiding that lowering of our
capacity.
-We aren’t having a haphazard approach.
-Text messages pinging you all day. I have my team email instead of text me- and I control when I check emails.
-We can’t be our best with the constant distraction
-We have to practice- self control and be intentional about how we spend our time.
-We have almost no down time- no time with just our thoughts. Which is solitude.
-Cal talks about solitude deprivation. Freedom from input from other minds. It’s crucial if you’re going to thrive as a human. It was unavoidable 10 years ago- if you have to wait in line etc- but for the first time in human history- we have a super computer in our pocket- so all solitude is removed from our lives.
-We need to build that time back into our lives.
-Social media- constant checking- like a constant companion - constantly looking at the phone - hasn’t always been this way. It’s now normal to look at your phone all day. It’s been re engineered!! It’s not about posting and looking at your friends posts - now it’s likes and comments- and we get social approval!! They added this because it changed it so now we check it all the time. We look at it at every possible down time moment.
-How do we train ourselves to change this? It’s not going to change without actual effort. Go without your phone when you work out or something - even if it’s 20 mins a day. You’re breaking the cycle.
-Be more productive!!
-Keep your primary life priorities in mind and use your phone for just things that bring you closer to that
-We need solo time
-Cal Newport - Digital minimalism
-Stop mini checks
-Less inventions because nobody is looking around solving -problems
-It’s affecting our life more than we think- on the daily and in the big picture
-Social media can brings a few harms- the are designed to be addictive
-Leaves us feeling inadequate
-Too much stimulation- like taking a slot machine home from Vegas we aren’t wired for this
-Gives us so much anxiety!! And can make you feel miserable
-Large portions of your day are fragmented and it permanently reduces you capacity for concentration- and we can’t achieve those really great things this way
-Pick things daily that you do without phone
-How to help our kids who are growing up with it
-You can get so much more done with intense concentration
-You can then unplug at night and not constantly work or check emails
-Consider how much happier we could be with less phone time