This one habit is draining you

Happy Friday! I hope you are well.

I was recently reminded of a study that showed reduced cognitive ability with the mere presence of one’s phone on the table, even if notifications are turned off.

Can we boost our focus and mental power simply by putting our phone in another room, out of sight? The research says, YES.

I teach and encourage my community to invest in their mental fitness, so it’s worthwhile to mention this study and do a little self-evaluation.

The truth is, I’m actually writing this email on my phone. It’s easier than pulling out my computer on this quick flight back from visiting my family in Colorado. Plus, I enjoy the ease of typing with my thumbs and the quick predict-a-text feature on my phone.  (It should be noted that airplane mode assisted in my focus, which I may incorporate into a weekly occurrence).

I recognize the various distractions and easy (yet unsatisfying) dopamine hits via social media apps. So it’s worthwhile to regularly evaluate at my relationship with my phone.

Being mentally strong helps us ride the waves of change, improve our communication, uplevel our decision-making skills, and simply be more present for the people and tasks at hand. And yet, the ever presence of my phone negatively impacts my cognitive function.

Leadership requires a sharp mind.

Consciously evaluating our relationship (and dare I say addiction) to our phones puts us back in the driver’s seat of our mental focus.

The pull of the phone is strong, but we DO HAVE A CHOICE. It’s not implanted into our brain (yet).

Try this Practice:

Leave your phone behind… Take time for a walk, a drive, a meal, a night of sleep away from your phone.

• How do you feel?
• Can you breathe through the discomfort of being disconnected and enjoy reconnect with yourself?
• Do you feel liberated or anxious?

Our phones give us a sense of security- we can now answers nearly any question we may have and it keeps us from ever being lost. It makes sense that our brain is inclined to hold on to it.

There was a time before we found safety in our smartphone.

Remember life when you had to simply sit with your question until you found a human that could help answer it?

I remember a time being horribly lost in Chicago after dropping a friend at O’hare Airport and had to get the help of a taxi driver at a gas station to map my way home. My brain and body will forever have this memory and I learned that being lost was not the worst thing and it all worked out.

Finding peace with unanswered questions and trusting that you will find your way is actually a very good thing. It builds resilience and helps ward off anxious thoughts and feelings.

I am committed to supporting more people in developing mental fitness so they can feel better & lead better.