I have been in the telecommunication market for more than 15 years now. If I close my eyes and go back to my youth, I remember that immediately after my high school diploma I decided to become a Telecommunications Engineer. It was a no-brain decision.
Why?
I was simply and deeply fascinated how something I was writing in a part of the world was able to travel into some sort of wires and pop up on the other part of the world almost instantaneously. Is it not a magic trick?
So 5 years after I had my degree and I was finally ready for selling telecommunications networks all around the world. Obviously, through the University I learned how to use the internet and also this discovery was mind-blowing.
It opened a window to an immense amount of knowledge, info and opportunities.
The implications of so many people connected to the Internet all the time from the standpoint of education is incredible.
Ben Horowitz
It was the early 2000-sh so the internet is not exactly what we have today, like speed, cost and availability.
In those years you needed a PC for being connected to the internet. Yes, no mobile phones connected to Internet…
15 years later, it’s different. Potentially everything can be connected to the internet and we live in a world, wherewith our mobile phones, we have our virtual version ready 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, for exchanging info, opinion, everything via the internet.
We are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a giant brain.
Stephen Hawking
Regardless of this, I have to admit that I cannot define myself as an internet & mobile phone addicted.
I am still the old school-lady who switches off the phone before going to bed.
I still remember also that a couple of years ago, I was super happy when travelling to Cuba, I was able to live three weeks of my life with no internet (My iPad and mobile phone’s batteries said thank you to me as they were rarely charged during that holiday!!!!).
Despite I cannot define myself ad internet-addicted, I have developed — as most of us have as well — what I call: “The 10 minutes maximum attention period”
The 10 minutes maximum attention period
This is the longest chunk of time most of the time we are able to completely focus on something, being completely absorbed and present before our mind starts wandering off because of a thought, a sensation or a new notification that switches on the screen of our mobile phone.
Now, I remember when I was a student, I was able to sit down and learn for hours without being distracted.
Yes, it’s true I was younger and also now I know that the mind needs breaks for recharging for being vigil so it was not definitely a good idea to spend hours in a row on books, but I am starting wondering if all this technology, all this living “always-on”, is really shortening our ability to be present, focused with a clear mind.
If you have the same feelings, here is what we can do to change this pattern.
From now on and for 30 days in a row, let’s try to train our nervous system to NOT react to these kinds of external interruptions.
Are you up for a challenge?
Yes, this is a challenge. It up to you to decide if you are in!
If you are still reading it means that you are in.
No, no, don’t think
“I might be interested, this has some sort of sense and I will decide later”.
I can assure you that if you had not been interested you would have already “diverted” your attention (AH! here we are, another example of “The 10 minutes maximum attention period”!) and shifted your attention to some other very interesting story, archiving this article in the shelf labelled: “crap”
So, for the next 30 days in a row, let’s do these three, simple, things. Together.
1. Every morning, before entering the tunnel of checking emails, answer comments or check the latest news, let’s take 30 minutes for our-selves doing whatever we want: eating our beloved breakfast, take a longer-than-usual shower, go outside for a walk, meditate, reading a book, whatever you think will make you happy.
2. Every time we receive a notification on the phone, we do three deep breaths before checking it out.
3. We switch off the phone at dinner time, every day, no matter what.
Just three things. something that was absolutely normal and feasible less than 10 years ago and that now seems so impossible. Most of the time, the world and humanity will survive even if we don’t react immediately. Maybe, with a little more focus, clear mind and presence, we might make this world a better place.