Productivity is not characterized by how connected we feel to others or how quickly we can respond to all of our emails, notifications, and messages. The amount of small tasks we can complete in a specific timeframe does not translate the depth or significance of each task. In our society, we are moving at an increasingly fast rate, causing us to forget the profit of devoting our attention to extraordinary ventures, ones that cause us to ask questions, research deeply, evaluate our perspectives, and challenge the viewpoints of others.
Though deep work can be intimidating in a shallow world, we cannot forfeit deep work, as it is essential to improving our society. We must begin to challenge ourselves to be intentional about how we spend our time. Instead of wasting our time away in insignificant efforts, we need to ready ourselves to step away from the digital stimuli and turn our energy toward deeply engaging practices. In our efforts, we should seek to be insightful, perceptive, and understanding.
To return to productivity, we must embrace a slow-paced route. Productivity is about quality more than quantity. To rebuild focus, restore concentration, produce valuable results in our work, and utilize our cognition for our betterment, we must be willing to assess our current relationships with our devices, limit distraction, restructure our schedules, and plunge into the deep. In working deeply, we will achieve our potential and produce our best work. We will mature into better versions of ourselves and better humans with the willingness to think deeply, work deeply, and continually pursue the depths.
In January 2019, I entered a contest held by VitaminWater to ditch my smartphone for 365 days. I had already been wrestling with the idea of giving up some of the uses of my smartphone. I saw the challenge as an incentive to go out on a limb and choose to be intentional about navigating life without being handcuffed to my phone. After all, who wouldn’t want to lock away their phone for a chance to win $100,000?
VitaminWater selected Elana Mugden, a 30-year old, New York-based author to dumb down her phone, trading in her iPhone for a flip phone. On the fifth day of the challenge, Elana stated that she identified unhealthy habits she had developed with the phone including taking her phone to bed and scrolling away at night and in the morning. Post-trading in her phone, her sleeping habits and human interaction, amongst other things, began to improve. At the conclusion of her 365-day challenge, Elana stated that she would not return to using her iPhone because she “became 100000% more productive over the course of the year.” The phone trade clearly impacted Elana positively and gave her cause to forego her iPhone entirely.
In hindsight, I could have chosen to dumb down my smartphone with or without the incentive. Instead, I kept my smartphone and continued my wrestle. Today, I can identify that keeping my phone and maintaining the way I relate to it has not benefited me. In fact, it has likely stunted a significant amount of my progression. Achieving some of the goals stated in my submission video has become a lengthy undertaking, one that could have been tackled within the same 365-day timeline that Elana endured. For over a year, or possibly longer, I have been in a never-ending cycle of allowing my smart phone to seize my attention. This dilemma affects numerous smartphone users on a daily basis.
In recent years, there has been an ongoing discussion about the power our mobile devices yield. Smartphones are designed to be an all-in-one hub, housing anything and everything we may need to access throughout the day. Our phones prey on our needs to the point that we fail to consider that we may not truly need all the functionality they provide. Furthermore, they permeate our subconscious, marked by our need to touch and interact with them even when they are not calling our attention. In her Today interview, Elana said, “I noticed times throughout the day where I still instinctively reached for the smartphone and it’s not there… and that happens when I’m having conversations with people, when I’m at dinner.” This is a common occurrence amongst smartphone users today, especially those making use of social media.
In 2017, the year of the fidget spinner, an Austrian designer named Klemens Schillinger created a series of products called the Substitute Phone. The series includes five different smartphone-like objects that house stone beads. You can move your fingers across the beads to mimic zooming, swiping, scrolling and more. On his site, Schillinger states, “The object, which some of us describe as a prosthesis, is reduced to nothing but the motions. This calming limitation offers help for smartphone addicts to cope with withdrawal symptoms. The object as a therapeutic approach.” Our connection to our mobile devices affect us in various ways, even down to our compulsive behaviors.
When you give something, you get something in return. In this case, you trade the often-uncontrollable urge to check for new messages for a bit of light that invites you to read a book instead or just focus on your work.
Klemens Schillinger
Additionally, Schillinger designed the Offline Lamp, a lamp that powers on as a result of a smartphone being placed within its base. His description: “Once the smartphone is locked inside the drawer, the light turns on. When you give something, you get something in return. In this case, you trade the often-uncontrollable urge to check for new messages for a bit of light that invites you to read a book instead or just focus on your work. What remains is the simple solution ‘Out of sight, out of mind.’”
This idea of giving to get is key. If we focus on giving up something in order to get something greater in return, maybe we would be more willing to detach from the draw of our devices. Today, we often hear news reports on the effect our smartphones have on our attention. Moreover, we find articles, read books and watch videos detailing how to effectively go about eliminating distractions, quitting social media and ditching your smartphone. From a beverage brand to a product and furniture designer, everyone can pinpoint the extensive problem smartphones create in our daily lives. We have a substantial amount of evidence to confirm that we need a smartphone intervention. Maybe it’s time we embrace the idea that giving up our social media, smartphones and the like will improve our sleep, human interaction, work, productivity and much more. Maybe it’s time to go out on a limb and ditch everything.
Nostalgia is a feeling that is deeply significant to me. Moments and memories from the past resonate with me continually. I build upon these past moments and memories and connect them to my present-day experiences. My photo album on my iPhone is currently overflowing, with 4,220 videos and 21,843 photos. I have photos and videos dating back to 2013 on my phone and more images from earlier dates buried away in various albums on my laptop, desktop computer, external hard drive and online. Let’s not even begin to discuss the amount of printed photos I have, marking different seasons in my life.
I believe that past events and occurrences in my life, whether good or bad, have helped shape me into who I am today. I cannot claim to be all that I am today without recognizing the circumstances that resulted in me being here. Capturing the essence of a moment in life through video, photo, writing, recording, creating artwork and other mediums help memorialize a specific time. When I am able to look back on that moment, I recall where I was in life at that time. My nature, my mentality, my pursuits, my strengths and weaknesses, my hopes and dreams. Looking back helps me remain introspective. I am able to identify how far I have come, strategize how I can continue to better myself and maintain an attitude of gratitude. Looking back reminds me of principles and values I have acquired throughout my life journey. It has been a way to recall forgotten desires and aspirations, stir up fresh ideas and gain inspiration. Being in touch with the past equips me for navigating the future.
To me, context is extremely important. I strive to seek and understand the context of any and all situations I encounter. Without context, I am missing necessary information to address a situation properly. Having access to as much information as possible regarding a matter helps me understand the depth and fullness of the matter. This gives me all that I need to strategize, make a well-educated decision and put my best foot forward. Context also aids me in supporting others effectively. I do not want to be someone who offers solutions quickly and always has a response prepared without understanding the magnitude of situation. I would rather remain tact and perceptive. Overall, I prefer not to be absentminded or insensitive in my actions, practices and conversations.
In our society, we have become accustomed to dealing with matters in a trivial way. Social media contributes to this approach on life, constantly presenting us with topics and ideas that are fleeting without providing true depth and the correct context. We are focused on a single moment, here and now. Our news and conversations revolve around the most recent occurrences, the latest details, the hottest “tea.” Many of the things we post and share announce our most recent accomplishments: a new house, a wedding, a promotion, a baby, etc. I am not saying that we should not share our good news with others. Comparatively, I have noticed that social media has become a platform for people to keep up appearances. We piece together our profiles with posts containing our best selfies, nicest outfits, latest travels, and greatest achievements. We are concerned with how others perceive us, therefore, we show them final results in place of incorporating context behind those results. This leaves people longing for our lifestyles and accomplishments without understanding the process, the labor and the background of our efforts. Furthermore, after a year or so, some people go back and delete their old posts, erasing the past instead of embracing it. We do not want the past to chip away at the image we are creating for ourselves in this present moment.
Our profiles on social media create distance between who we are and who we want to appear to be. We create our own façade and opt to relate to others from this version of ourselves as opposed to operating from our true nature and identity. This defies human nature as we are no longer in touch with our flaws and imperfections, which may be “ugly,” but are also beautiful because they comprise who we are. We are lacking in authenticity and genuineness which are necessary qualities to remain relatable. Context is important, even on social media. Personally, I refuse to curate my social media profiles in a way that appeals to my following. I do not view my “followers” as my audience; they are just people I am connected to in one way or another. I do not seek to grow my following or accumulate likes, comments and shares. I do not seek to know the latest details of the lives of those I follow, and I do not want to be at the top of everyone else’s feed. I don’t post often and, when I do post, I post memories from the past. I use my social media as an another means to remind me of previous adventures and experiences. My profiles assist me in recognizing my growth and maturity. It helps me dream and consider my future.
At the start of this year I worked remotely twice per week, reporting to the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. With an individual office space in my office building and a home-office in my apartment, I was well on my way to mastering working deeply in both locations, my home and my workplace. Nevertheless, I did not anticipate the drastic changes I would encounter during the course of 2020. In January, my car was totaled in a car accident, which put a halt to my transportation for a season. This is where the consistency of my work began to dwindle environment as I went for an extended stay at my mother’s house and transitioned to working from home temporarily. My work environment began to shift, impacting my productivity, my capability of working deeply and my work-life balance.
During my stay at my mother’s, I learned that it was necessary for me to have a designated workspace to further support my progress at work. Initially, I attempted to work from the couch, the dining room and my bedroom at times. It wasn’t long before I realized that the quality of my work had shifted. Instead of seeking to accomplish solid work, I no longer desired to do my best. Instead, I sought to simply meet the assignment requirements. At times, I delayed work for the sake of less important tasks, even though I had the time and space to complete my work. Additionally, I found myself dictating my own work hours within the day, deciding to work later or start earlier or even delay my work and cram it in upon the realization that the deadline was swiftly approaching. I started making unnecessary mistakes within my work — a typo here, a wrong dimension there, a missed direction elsewhere. I felt as though I had begun to lose my love for working well, choosing to be unproductive, lazy, careless and negligent.
A few weeks into my stay, I decided to set up a desk in a separate room and create a makeshift office space in the house, in hopes of improving my work. I found that waking up and acting out my day as if I was reporting to the office benefited and improved my work. I would shower, get dressed, do my hair, report to my newly developed home office and be sure to turn on my camera during virtual meetings to ensure that I was present and accountable. This turn of events boosted my productivity, causing me to work even more than I anticipated. I got a great deal of work done and I felt much better about myself as and my contribution to my company.
The stay-at-home order in mid-March aided me further in my efforts to improve my work. My mother works in a hospital, so I chose to distance myself from everyone, including her. I stopped borrowing her car, I no longer ran errands and I shifted my time in person with friends to FaceTime sessions. I went from my room to the bathroom, to my home office, all on the same floor of the house. I only went downstairs to the kitchen when I was extremely hungry, during the hours that my mother was at work. I stopped searching for a car and the rest of my team at work transitioned to join me in working from home. Soon enough, I was enjoying my home office space once more, powering through my work so much that I started forgetting to take lunch breaks or go outside for a breath of fresh air. I was cooped up in the house, laser-focused on the computer all day and all evening, taking more time on projects than necessary. My work-life balance was thrown off, yet again, in a different direction.
The spring and summer of 2020 only brought additional change into my life, as many things took an unexpected turn. In May, my now husband and I decided to get married, in June, we began planning our wedding, in late June, I became remote full-time, and every month since has presented new challenges to navigate. As everything around me has been shifting, so has my quality of work. I am now married and my husband and I just moved into our new home yesterday. We are both working from home as full-time professionals, part-time entrepreneurs, and graduate students, and, although I am excited to set up yet another home office and get to working deeply, I am also a bit nervous and a bit unsure about how working from home alongside my spouse will be. Furthermore, since my life activities have been extremely transient this year, and I am still getting accustomed to a new home environment, I have to be extra intentional about working developing a ritual that works for me.
We have already determined our designated office space, however, with all the work on my plate, I have yet to figure out how long I will work, how I’ll work, how I will structure my work or how I’ll support my work. One thing I am sure I would like to put in place is downtime. I want to cultivate the practice of coming to a hard stop and recharging for the work ahead of me in place of thinking and dreaming about my work until I open my laptop once more to complete a “quick” task. To say the least, this year has been an interesting one. I look forward to closing this last quarter of 2020 by developing a routine in which I can get back to working deeply.
Project management is an essential component of graphic design, and its corresponding fields, including marketing and communications as a whole. Throughout my career as a graphic designer, while working as a freelance, temp and full-time designer, I have had many opportunities to learn how to operate and utilize various project management applications. Over time, I have grown to understand the need for access to project management tools within the design world, especially when working on vast projects that may need to be broken down into smaller tasks and assignments. The project management applications in which I have become most familiar with are Trello and Basecamp. I have used both applications in different work experiences, as well as personally, and even made use of both services simultaneously.
My use of Trello began while working as a lead graphic designer for a non-profit organization. My team and I needed a way to keep track of design requests from the various departments within the organization and sought out a project management tool that we could integrate with our existing slack channels. Once we discovered that Trello was a forever free resource in which we could phase projects out, assign projects to specific team members, add deadlines, use slack, attach work to cards and more, we migrated all of our work to Trello and began to put it to use. We soon created a design request form that linked to Trello and created new Trello cards every time we received a new request. Once the request was received, Trello would push out an alter to our slack channel which notified us of the new request. From there, a designer would pick up a request and begin working, phasing the card of that specific project within Trello until the request was complete. Trello made organizing our work much simpler, as we no longer had to wonder who was working on which project, the current stage of each project, or the amount of new project requests we had. Our productivity as a team increased significantly and our work became much more efficient.
Once I understood how useful Trello could be, I began to use it personally. I created multiple boards to help keep my life and activities organized. One of my boards assisted me with planning and preparing for a three-country holiday trip. Another helped my boyfriend and I stay organized within our relationship, listing out all the things we needed to discuss and sort out as well as things we wanted to remind one another to do. A common board I made use of was a simple to-do list with a card for every random to-do that popped up in my head throughout the day, to help me write down my thoughts and refrain from being distracted from my current task. Additionally, I began using Trello to phase and sort through and freelance design work I received.
Trello also served as a large part of my work as a temp graphic designer. During one of my work experiences, I temped within the creative department of a Nuclear Energy organization in Washington, DC. I worked on large projects, such as guides, booklets and pdfs full of infographics alongside a team of three other people. Due to the fact that the creative department was overwhelmed with various design assignments, they utilized two project management applications at once: Trello and Basecamp. Our Trello board was an agile sprint board, set up to keep each assignment within sprints that automatically closed within a two-week time frame. We used the Trello board to ensure that we met our hard deadlines. Access to this board was only granted to people within the creative team. Alongside Trello, Basecamp was used to phase each project out even further. Additionally, people within other departments had access to our Basecamp projects, including the clients who created the requests for each project, the copy editor who made sure all the text read correctly, and other employees within the organization who were connected to the project.
Basecamp provided more depth, as my team broke up projects into to-dos. Within each main to-do, you can create multiple smaller to-dos. Each of these list items contains a discussion section, where employees and/or clients can comment back and forth, critiquing the work, editing the work, sharing content, asking questions, updating project versions, etc. Basecamp also provides sections within a project for messaging, scheduling items within the project, sharing documents and files needed to complete work, and more. It is very versatile and can host multiple file types, numerous projects, and the visibility of each project varies, as administrators have the capability of determining who has access to specific projects.
Today, in my full-time role within an audiovisual organization, I use Basecamp frequently, as all my projects are hosted on Basecamp. Basecamp has been a great tool, not only for project management, but also for collaboration between the creative team and the other members within the marketing and communication departments of my organization. Furthermore, I appreciate that Basecamp has a mobile and desktop app that I can use for notifications and tracking work on the go, as opposed to my email. I prefer Basecamp, however, I continue to make use of Trello personally for simpler tasks and projects.
Although I am a self-proclaimed mini project manager, the idea of using a project management tool for my schoolwork never crossed my mind. In completing this project, I found that making use of Basecamp for my grad school assignments will likely help me be significantly more organized and productive. Adding dates to my to-dos helped me balance my assignments and work through my tasks consistently as opposed to working sporadically. Moving forward, I plan to incorporate Trello and Basecamp into my everyday practices even more. Additionally, I may explore more project management tools that would be useful to me in hopes of improving my overall scheduling and keeping every task in place.
Initial thoughts: “Okay, I’ve got this! I do pretty well without Instagram so I think I’ll be fine this week.”
Reason for opening Instagram app: checking on an IGTV video series I wanted to catch up on.
Thoughts after opening app: “Oh snap! I shouldn’t be on here.” *Closes app*
Observations: I truly did not “need” to access Instagram this day and started off my 6-day detox pretty solid. I was able to get a substantial amount of work done. I also took some time to be present with family and spent a few hours at a relative’s house, eating, catching up, playing games, and enjoying one another’s company. Tuesday was a success!
Wednesday, September 9th
Time on Instagram: 14 minutes
Initial thoughts: “I slipped up a tad bit yesterday, but today I will try to be more intentional about my time on Instagram. Hopefully today will be productive as well.”
Reasons for opening Instagram app: Boredom during time I had to myself while waiting to be called in for my orthodontist appointment. Muscle memory/boredom during time to myself before bed.
Thoughts after opening app: Unfortunately, the first time I opened the app, I did not have time to think. Instead, I quickly started scrolling until my appointment began. Before bed my thoughts were “why am I on Instagram at this time? And why is it so easy to scroll through this app just before bed?”
Observations: Despite my increased time on the app this day, I still had a pretty productive day. It is important for me to be more mindful about the times within the day that I am on Instagram, as the times that I find myself on the app may not be healthy for me.
Thursday, September 10th
Time on Instagram: 1 hour, 41 minutes
Initial thoughts: No initial thoughts. I was pretty absent-minded regarding my detox on this particular day.
Reasons for opening Instagram app: checking on the same IGTV video series from Tuesday. I started watching one of the episodes while simultaneously getting ready for the day. Also opened the app and watched stories due to boredom while on a long ride, although I could have chosen to use that time more wisely. Lastly, I looked up the Instagram page of a local business I saw while driving around the town I am relocating to.
Thoughts after opening app: “I really shouldn’t be on Instagram right now but I haven’t kept up with this series and I have a bit of time today.” “I feel like I’m scrolling just to scroll at this point. Nothing truly interests me except random things I find on the search page.” “Once I’m able to view their page, I’ll log off.”
Observations: I gave in on this particular day. With each day to this point, my time on Instagram swiftly multiplied. It’s almost as if I’m somewhat addicted to the platform and can only do without it for a certain amount of time.
Friday, September 11th
Time on Instagram: 1 hour, 48 minutes
Initial thoughts: No initial thoughts. I was pretty absent-minded regarding my detox on this day as well.
Reasons for opening Instagram app: My phone and Instagram were the first things I turned to when I woke up. In the afternoon, I wanted to check in on life’s happenings on a couple more long car rides. I was in an area with no Wi-Fi for some time and figured that the app would be a good pastime.
Thoughts after opening app: Sadly, I did not have many thoughts after opening the app on this day. Although I could have sought a healthier outlet, I was seeking something to occupy my mind and found exactly what I was looking for in Instagram.
Observations: I got a lot done today, but I could have dedicated the time I spent on Instagram to other endeavors. I’m starting to think it might not be such a bad idea to delete my Instagram. In contrast, there’s also a great deal of anxiety attached to removing myself from the platform, as I fear I would miss out on important things taking place in the lives of my associates, friends, family, and loved ones. I’m not sure if forging a healthy relationship with the app is possible, as I feel that it’s inevitable that, the more I use it, the app will become addictive.
Saturday, September 12th
Time on Instagram: 19 minutes
Initial thoughts: “I’ve got a pretty full day ahead of me so hopefully I’ll stay present and focused enough to stay off of the app.”
Reasons for opening Instagram app: Seeking out a jewelry company I came across in the past. Viewing some of the posts I previously saved. Searching for a skincare company I am interested in that was advertised to me a few weeks back.
Thoughts after opening app: “Although I don’t necessarily need to be on Instagram, I came here for a specific purpose. Hopefully I can get all I need quickly and close the app.”
Observations: This day, I was able to get on the app without getting sucked in. I searched for specific things I took interest in or saved from the past and executed all that I needed to do in one session. I was on the app for one stretch of time, which can be good or bad, but for this instance in particular, I found this approach fruitful. Choosing to put off my Instagram time and create a list of what I wanted to access later on also helped me remain more focused and productive throughout the day.
Sunday, September 13th
Time on Instagram: 13 minutes
Initial thoughts: “Today is a day to relax, so I won’t be so hard on myself, but, hopefully, I can stay off of the app.”
Reasons for opening Instagram app: Searching for a local business I have visited before to see if they have started taking clients again in light of COVID-19. This led to me scrolling on the search page and checking Instagram stories for a little while.
Thoughts after opening app: “I am on here for now, but I would still like to take it easy.”
Observations: On this day, I was able to visit friends and family and truly live in the moment. I was present in my relationships and I was more intentional about my time. I cared less about what was happening on the app and more about what was happening around me throughout the day. I even went for a walk. Though I spent 13 minutes on the app today, I feel more satisfied.
Final takeaways: On at least one day this week I was able to compartmentalize my use of Instagram and weigh whether I truly needed to be on the app or not. I would like to do this more moving forward. Additionally, I want to come up with healthy pastimes I can access when I’m idle so that I can make better use of my time altogether. I would also like to designate time to truly rest. Practically, I think it would be good for me to start using the Screen Time app on my phone so that I can set a daily time limit on my use of Instagram as well as save all my thoughts and reasons for visiting the app for a designated time period.
Recently, while watching stories on Instagram, I noticed that an associate posted the following meme about the death toll of COVID-19.
Seeing that this post was shared by someone connected to me, personally, was shocking and ignited some outrage within me and a few people within my inner circle of friends who had also seen the post. Upon confronting the associate about the source of their information, they mentioned that they had no true source. Furthermore, they were reluctant to attempt to open their mind to the possibility of being wrong. Instead, they said, “it’s a meme.” This exchange perpetuates the idea that misinformation does not only blind people from the truth; it hinders people from conversing about the real facts of a matter.
With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation has become more common in our society, especially on social media and social networking platforms. People today often obtain their information through social media channels and take most things to be true. For example, WhatsApp has become increasingly popular amongst older generations, mainly because it can be used as a platform to communicate with those outside of the country. Every once in a while, someone close to me will receive a WhatsApp notification from a relative claiming to have some sort of remedy, treatment or cure for COVID-19. This new antidote could entail boiling various fruits and seasonings together and drinking the concoction, cutting open onions and placing them around the house, consuming hot beverages throughout the course of the day or using hydroxychloroquine as a means to recover from the virus rapidly. Individuals who use WhatsApp often are more likely to believe the misinformation circulating on the app, being that the information may be sent directly from a trusted friend or family member. Furthermore, the encryption necessary for a private messaging app like WhatsApp limits how much WhatsApp can do to combat the false information on the back end. This is why verifying the information that one receives is imperative, as there may not always be an update available to negate the false information we receive and provide us with the truth.
We are in the midst of a worldwide infodemic surrounding COVID-19, meaning that we are constantly being supplied with a combination of correct and incorrect information on the subject of the virus and the pandemic at a rapid rate. Now more than ever, it is important to ensure that our sources of information are legitimate, and our “facts” are truly facts. It is necessary for us to cultivate specific and intentional practices in order to avoid misinformation, especially while using social media. Once a new report is brought to our attention, we should subsequently be willing to perform a quick internet search to dig deeper into the topic and verify the details of the news. Otherwise, we may find ourselves sharing inaccurate information with others, contributing further to the reach of these inaccurate articles, videos, reports and more.
Today, it appears that fact-checking is no longer a common practice. Even the president of the United States has publicized “facts” and practices that have harmed us more than helped. Some of these subjects include injecting disinfectant and exposing the body to ultraviolet light to combat the virus. Additionally, the president has stated that COVID-19 will miraculously go away, that the U.S. has the lowest mortality rate and that children are immune, amongst various other claims. The president has yet to accept responsibility for any of the false claims he has made, which adds to the confusion of the American people, as we remain divided in our viewpoints, not knowing who to trust, what to believe and the best course of action to take.
These days, we are more concerned with disclosing whatever information we come across than clarifying and correcting the details we already have. Furthermore, we tend to share the things that appeal to us and confirm our ideas, pushing our personal agendas, rather than presenting both sides of the coin. This is not the way we should go about handling significant public matters. If we continue this route of diluting, mixing and changing information, we may no longer be able to find the truth in many of our trusted sources. Therefore, it is equally important for us to be mindful of the information we are choosing to circulate as it is to double-check our sources. Considering that our health is at risk, personally, relationally and communally, we have a responsibility to take extra precaution when supplying others with news with regard to coronavirus. The things we choose to share could directly impact and shape the course of another life infiltrating their thoughts, beliefs, decisions and actions.
Today, technology infiltrates our everyday lives in a distinctive and unquestionable way. It affects us to such a degree that we feel void without our devices. In our society, we have become accustomed to having the internet at our fingertips and the world just a few taps away. The Information Age has proven fruitful and progressive; however, the more accessible information becomes, the more difficult it is to detach and appreciate the quietude of life. Social media makes this increasingly challenging. These platforms cater directly to a dynamic audience and are continuously evolving to fit seamlessly into our versatile lifestyles. This causes us to believe that social media is a necessity in contrast to a luxury.
Personally, the interconnectedness of our contemporary world has created cause for concern for me, as I am reserved and have trouble reconciling public sharing of personal information within myself. Though social media’s gravitational pull occasionally manages to weigh me down, I find that I feel more at peace and resolute when I am intentional about planning time away from social networking. In a perfect world, I would seek to limit my use of electronic devices and find time to participate in activities that stimulate my mind, spark creativity and foster innovation. This “perfect world” briefly became a possibility in the summer of 2019 when I went on vacation and dropped my iPhone in the ocean. I was left without a working mobile device for about two weeks. Adjusting to life without access to my phone, apps, messages, notes, GPS, photos and more was a bit inconvenient for the first couple of days, but, with time, I overcame my “fear of missing out” and began to learn new ways to navigate my challenges. I grew to cherish life without my device.
During this time, I was able to use my watch in Wi-Fi in place of my phone for basic communication such as sending messages and answering calls. Overall, I became much more productive and felt more fulfilled. I contacted my mobile network carrier and sought to replace my phone with my watch by adding a data plan to my watch and eliminating my mobile device altogether. I quickly learned that this was not possible, as Apple watches are not designed with the capability of operating independently from a mobile device. My “perfect world” came crashing down. Today’s gadgets are designed to captivate us in such a way that it may not be possible to fully escape them. Furthermore, we live in a world where one device is not enough. It is commonplace to acquire multiple devices that work together and rely on one other and less common to have one device that assists us with our true necessities. In some cases, the best way to access the information we truly need is through the use of our devices.
The next best solution for living in my “perfect world” would be to seek balance between the use and misuse of my devices. This is an ongoing battle, consisting of both victories and losses. My main focus is to continue this fight. I have noticed ways in which the use of my gadgets has resulted in me being distracted, scatterbrained and not able to focus at times. However, I have also noticed that I tend to be more content when I am away from my gadgets than my peers. This motivates me to seek to be a person of drive, focus, substance and deep concentration.
This week’s readings could not have come at a better time. The start of my career as a graduate student made me feel a little uneasy. In the past few years, I have shifted my focus from being a student who seeks to learn continuously to being a professional, seeking stability and establishment. I have lost touch with my love for reading, writing and the like, and, up until last week, I feared that I was ill-prepared for grad school. In reading “I have forgotten how to read,” Michael Harris confirmed my thoughts of myself as a reader and the need for me to continue reading and read “patiently, slowly, uselessly.”
Farnam Street’s “How to Remember What You Read” refreshed me with practical tips I can use to effectively read and retain information as a student and in general. Harvard Business Review’s “Having Your Smartphone Nearby Takes a Toll on Your Thinking” and NPR’s “The Distracting Draw of Smartphones” confronted me directly with factual evidence of the effect that my smartphone and other devices have on me. Finally, the introduction and first chapter of Deep Work by Cal Newport, helped me understand the value of thinking deeply, researching deeply, limiting distractions and challenging myself to pursue, become and accomplish more.
I am now ready to accept the challenge of compartmentalizing my daily activities. I want to ensure that I maintain a healthy relationship with my devices, my entertainment and other luxuries so that I can commit a significant amount of time to deliberate practice and deep work. I look forward to reevaluating my priorities and minimizing the time I spend participating in insignificant activities for the sake of maximizing my time spent on purposeful research, work and development. Cheers to a successful graduate school career!
Sola's Thoughts 