Key 4: Practice Active Engagement
Key Points:
1. Distraction is a larger issue than ever before - it is impacting our ability to focus and do great work.
2. When using technologies like social media, we should be actively engaged rather than passively consuming it. Don’t get caught up in the apparent “glamour” of other’s lives, but use these platforms with intent.
3. Technology can be amazing for connecting with loved ones or friends around the world, but make sure to give yourself time to disconnect and truly relax.
“One way to boost our willpower and focus is to manage our distractions instead of letting them manage us.”
We are in the early days of the internet revolution, an era of constant and unrelenting distraction. We are 10 years into something that will drastically change the way we live and work for the next 100 years. Not unlike when the world shifted from agriculture to industry, we are now shifting from industry to technology.
With the prevalence of smartphones, it seems everyone is expected to constantly check their email, even after work hours. We are never out of reach. We never unplug. And we are paying for the constant distraction mentally, physically, and emotionally.
The widespread addiction to distraction and all it entails—including the incessant inundation of text messages, social media, television, and email—has the potential to cause mental health challenges. In fact, the overload we face every day and the seemingly endless stream of notifications is a significant contributor to anxiety. The constant distraction leads to higher levels of distress and leaves us feeling burned out and exhausted.
The simple act of sitting down to focus on one task is becoming increasingly difficult for most people. Distraction is destroying our ability to do our best work on the things that matter most to us, whether it’s career, school, business, or our most important relationships.
In his book The Five Thieves of Happiness, Dr. John Izzo articulates a way of thinking about technology use that can help us manage distraction: passive consumption versus active engagement. Izzo explains that passive consumption is scrolling through your feed, constantly observing other people and how great their life looks based on the perfection portrayed in their Instagram and other media posts. No one posts failures. They don’t share pics of themselves when they wake up in the morning and their hair is all over the place. They don’t share their reaction when they realize they made a big mistake. People post successes, vacations, and perfect selfies.
If you are constantly exposed to stories of perfect lives, your mental health will be negatively affected. Passive engagement is a form of distraction that not only erodes our ability to focus when we want and need to, but also leads to a less than healthy mental state.
Active engagement is different. If you use social media in a controlled and limited way to share celebrations, congratulate each other, offer encouragement, or ask questions about what people are up to, it can be an inspiring form of connection. If used deliberately, it can improve and support your mental health because it enables you to create a community around you.
Use technology to enhance your ability to do what you love better—ideally without experiencing any negative health effects. Connect with people to build deeper, stronger relationships. In some cases, that may mean using FaceTime to video call your kids while you’re travelling. Other times, it means putting your phones away at dinner so you can have a face-to-face conversation. The point is to use technology with intention not compulsion.
Use your deep focus for key things you want to accomplish. Allow yourself time to scan social media and relax. Then refuel and recharge so you are ready for your next important moment.
Exercise Your Brain
Your brain is constantly adapting and changing based on what you are doing and what is going on in your environment. Binge watching Netflix? Your brain is adapting—maybe not for the better. Reading a biography of an epic historical figure? Your brain is adapting—probably for the better. Building on that idea, here are a few ways you can exercise your brain:
Hold walking meetings. Have something you need to talk to someone about? Try talking while walking rather than sitting across the table from each other. You can also do walking phone calls. Changing your environment, physical exercise, and navigating all help to improve brain function.
Play games. Have some fun playing Sudoku, chess, or role-playing games, or just do a crossword puzzle. Your brain will thank you.
Learn something new. When I was getting ready to commentate the Olympics, I took acting and voice lessons. As an athlete and academic, I can tell you that was way out of my comfort zone. And I loved it. Learning something new at any age is powerful and can spark new cognitive abilities. Change up your reading list, take a dance lesson, pick up a new instrument, or try a new sport.
Today’s Call to Action: Align Media with Dreams
Consider dropping media from your list that isn’t positive and doesn’t move you forward.
What media do you consume? What TV shows do you watch? What podcasts do you listen to?
Every one of these choices will influence your health and performance.
Today’s Bonus Video
Check out this video of Greg discussing what requires your radical attention
The information and advice provided in this program is intended to assist you with improving your performance, as well as your general health. It is not intended and should not be used in place of advice from your own physician or for treatment or diagnosis of any specific health issue. By participating in this program you acknowledge that undertaking any new health, diet and/or exercise regime involves certain inherent risks, that you assume such risks, and that you release Wells Performance Inc. from any responsibility or claim relating to such participation.