As we move deeper into the digital age, getting distracted seems like an inevitable by-product of life in our modern times. We’re bombarded with information from so many sources throughout the day—TV, radio, print articles, social media, podcasts, videos, and the ever-present newsfeed on our hand-held devices. Have you ever wondered how this barrage of information is affecting your level of concentration and even your disposition?
Think of the last time you had a blowout argument with a friend. Was there a residual effect? How did the rest of your day go for you? Were you laser-focused? Were you feeling upbeat? Take a moment to recall your overall mood following that unpleasant interaction. (I recently made the mistake of checking email before cooking breakfast, and was treated to some less-than-joyful news regarding my upcoming tax return. This was so distracting to me, I barely spoke to my 4 year-old daughter while she was getting ready for school, and then I burned the fried eggs!)
If you mindlessly scroll through your newsfeed first thing in the morning, and you happen to click on a political video that gets you riled up—it’s bound to affect your day.
I’m sure you can think of examples of this in your life. Perhaps you listen to radio news broadcasts on your way into work, taking in updates on various issues of concern, and find yourself agitated, or perhaps even cursing the radio. What is the likelihood of your feeling primed for tackling your to-do list when you arrive at the office? How about the ritual of watching the news before going to bed? Do you suppose taking in reports of death and violence increases your chances of enjoying a soothing night’s sleep?
It is true, there’s an overabundance of information flooding our eyes and ears nowadays. And it is likely that, at some point in your day, you will unwittingly be exposed to some content that will adversely affect your mood and focus. That said, we have the ability to exercise more control over the external influences on our mental landscape than we tend to acknowledge; there are ways to steer clear of negatively-charged images and reporting as you move through your day. Here’s what you can do:
Control The What:
Start cultivating awareness of how the information you consume on a daily basis is affecting you, and be deliberate about what you take in. Pay attention to your thoughts, emotions, and physical reactions during conversations or as you’re reading articles. Are you feeling anxious? Happy? Sad? Calm? Agitated? Inspired? Deflated? Energized? Drained? Some of my clients are tracking their emotional and mental states in a journal, noting thoughts and feelings immediately after reading articles, watching programs, or browsing their newsfeeds.
I’m not suggesting there’s something wrong with keeping yourself informed of what’s happening in the world. I am suggesting, however, that you evaluate your habits when it comes to consuming information, and determine if what you’re customarily “ingesting” is actually necessary. You might find you’re needlessly exposing yourself to disturbing content (for informative purposes) or to seemingly-benign content (for entertainment purposes)— not realizing that all these things carry the potential of pulling your focus and affecting your state of mind in a less-than-productive way.
Control The When:
Pick and choose when you want to consume information. Of course, you can’t always predict whether the content will be inspiring or depressing, but when it comes to all things digital, you can choose when you want experience it. For example, you can commit to waiting until you arrive at the office before opening your first email or taking in the news. You can also hold off on browsing social media until you get home at the end of your workday, thus, keeping yourself fresh and undistracted for your customers and coworkers.
Control The Who:
Even though the bulk of this article is about the distractions and pitfalls of living in the digital world, the same principles apply to our face-to-face interactions. Just as we can be affected by the news in a less-than-desirable way, the same can be said for how we affect each other.
Imagine meeting with a colleague to discuss a new and promising partnership, and before any exciting ideas have been laid on the table, you offer up a tragic tidbit you’d picked up while browsing Facebook: “Did you hear about the flooding in California? Apparently it came on so quickly that thousands of people were trapped in their houses.” This kind of casual recounting of a distressing event can completely derail focus and squash the enthusiasm that sparked this meeting in the first place.
These kinds of buzz-kills occur all day long, and most people accept their mood being deflated as simply part of life in the New Millennium. It doesn’t have to be this way. You have the power to choose most of what you “ingest” on a daily basis. I am not suggesting you live under a rock or that you be on guard in your every interaction. I am also not offering a cure for depressive/anxiety disorders, which, obviously, need to be addressed by healthcare professionals. I am recommending, however, that you be more conscious of the what, the when, and the who of your input (and your output) and that your choices are made intentionally and wisely! You don’t have to sterilize your every conversation and every social media post, but before you share a news highlight or engage in a discussion, it’s worth pausing to consider the effect the content might have on others.
As many of you know, I am often emphasizing how habits influence our lives—and the central topic of this article goes under that same umbrella. It would behoove all of us nowadays to make it a habit of thinking twice before we click, engage, browse, and even speak. Your choices of input and your personal interactions have the potential to make or break your entire day…or someone else’s.
