Attention Needs Intention
Have you ever looked up from your phone and suddenly it's dark outside? The sun was shining, it was truly daytime when you picked the thing up to search for…what was it you were going to look up? And now here we are, awake from a trance that lasted so long the day has shifted into night.
You're in good company if you've ever slipped into the device time warp.
There's no doubt that having an intelligent machine at our fingertips 24/7 has its benefits. Thanks to my phone, I can't remember the last time I drove to the store, only to discover it was closed. However, and it is a BIG "however". Because there's an entire world for us to discover on our phones, it's so freakin' easy to fall face first into this digital land and let it take us wherever it so pleases.
That's where the problems start. Lack of intention.
Our phones decide who gets to interrupt our attention, how long we stay caught up in the virtual vortex. Without being super intentional about how we consume the onslaught of content and snippets of dopamine-hitting treats, we're left with a technology hangover that's tough to recover from.
Being intentional about where your attention goes is the first step to living life on your terms. You may think you're fine right now, and sure there's a constant brain fog and fatigue, buy hey, doesn't everyone feel this way? No. No, they don't.
These feelings, the lack of focus, constantly flitting from one idea or task to the next without finishing anything, feeling scattered and stuck at the same time, those are the effects of letting our phones decide how our attention gets used. And it's 100% not our fault.
Not to blame the algorithm for everything, but it's no accident that we experience the pull to stay longer in apps and get that itchy feeling to scroll just one more time. These companies are absolutely brilliant in the way they steal our attention. All we have to do is open the app and they've got us hooked.
So what's a person to do? First, how about some noticing? How is your focus on a daily basis? Are you taking things from start to finish or having a tough time getting projects off the ground? Are you making progress on your goals or are they collecting dust somewhere on a vision board?
Noticing where your attention is going during the day will tell you a lot. But I'm just a busy person, you might say. I get that. Except that busy and scattered are totally different than busy and productive. Learning to spot the difference will help you put more intention back into your daily life.
The goal isn't just to cut out all technology. I think we're past the point where we can just deny technology a place in our lives. But the great news is that it's up to you what role tech plays in your life. Is it the puppet master that calls the shots and directs you where to go? Or is it a useful tool to support your ambition, values, and purpose?
The choice is yours, and it's one worth the time to decide.