The Traffic Jam in Our Minds and Navigating the Highways of Information in the Digital Age.
Pay attention to your attention.
Times goes fast; and it goes even faster when you’re not paying attention to it.
It’s great when you’re busy doing what you love and intend to do - then it’s called Flow State and we would love to experience it more often. But when it’s not? When it’s just busy, reactive work, or a mere distraction? Then we have a problem. Let’s take a closer look at it.
SO, WHAT’S IN TODAY’S BENTO BOX?
Learning to pay attention to your attention like your life depends on it. Because, well, it does.
"My experience is what I agree to attend to."
William James
In our hyper-connected, data-drenched world, our minds are like ancient roads overwhelmed by modern traffic. I often use this simple metaphor as a lens to examine the relentless tsunami of information that besieges us daily.
And most of the time we are not just passive receivers; we are the overwhelmed commuters on the information superhighway, struggling to find a clear path amid the digital chaos.
Information Overload
"We drink information through a firehose, mistaking the rush for refreshment."
This statement reflects our current situation.
We believe that more information equates to better decisions, greater wisdom, and a fuller life. Yet, science tells us a different story. The human brain can process 11 million bits of information every second. But our conscious minds can handle only 40 to 50 bits of information a second. This disparity is not just alarming; it's unsustainable.
Sharpen Your Tools for the VUCA World
In today's world, everything is constantly changing, and things can be unpredictable and complicated. This is what experts call the VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity).
In such a chaotic environment, keeping our attention focused is really important.
Amishi Jha, a neuroscientist who has done a lot of work in this area, says that paying attention isn’t just about what we see and hear. It actually shapes how we think, make decisions, and see the world.
In a place where things are always changing, being able to concentrate and then shift our focus when needed is like having a guiding compass.
Jha suggests that practicing mindfulness – being present and fully engaged in the moment – can make our attention stronger.
The best part? You don’t need to leave the world behind and become a monk - 12 minutes a day can be a great start.
This way, we can better sort through all the information and distractions we face, making choices that really match what’s important to us.
In a VUCA world, learning to control our attention is more than just a good skill – it’s a way to stay grounded and make smart decisions when everything around us is in flux.
The Misconception of Multitasking
Multitasking, a term borrowed from computers, is a myth when it comes to human cognition.
Earl Miller, a neuroscientist at MIT, explains that what we perceive as multitasking is actually our brain switching tasks rapidly.
Each task switch is a cognitive cost, a tiny traffic jam in our neural pathways.
Imagine every car on the road trying to go in different directions simultaneously. That's your brain on multitasking. It's a mess. It's inefficient. And it's exhausting.
The result? Decreased efficiency and increased potential for error.
The Paradox of Choice
Psychologist Barry Schwartz in his book "The Paradox of Choice" illuminates how more choices lead to less satisfaction. Our digital world, bursting with options, has not liberated us; it has caught us in a web of perpetual indecision.
Like a driver at a crossroads with infinite paths, we are immobilized by the plethora of choices, each road promising a destination possibly better than the last. As we chase more Shiny Objects, FOMO hits us hard.
“Fire!” The Siren Call of Digital Distractions
Our attention is the currency of the digital age, and everyone wants a piece of it.
The siren of an ambulance cuts through the noise of traffic, demanding immediate attention.
Our brains work similarly. When we hear them, we start moving our cognitive vehicles out of the way. But while the use of sirens in traffic is regulated, getting our attention via digital media is not.
"Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not."
Cal Newport
We are hardwired to respond to what we perceive as urgent. However, in a world where every app notification, email, and social media post is vying for our attention with the urgency of a siren, distinguishing the truly important becomes a Herculean task.
In the digital era, this translates to a conscious choice about where our attention goes.
We can't expand the highway of our mind, but we can manage the traffic. This is not about time management; it's about attention management.
Navigating the Information Highway
So, how do we navigate this congested mental landscape? The answer lies not in expanding our cognitive roads but in managing our mental traffic. We must become the traffic controllers of our minds.
Selective Attention: Like a discerning gatekeeper, we must learn to allow only what is essential into our cognitive space. It's about prioritizing quality over quantity, depth over breadth.
Conscious Consumption: Engage with information intentionally, not impulsively. Choose your digital diet as carefully as you would your food.
Embracing Boredom: In the words of philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, "Boredom is the root of all evil." But it is also the root of many great inventions, innovation and creativity. And we have pretty much eradicated all boredom the moment we got our smartphones.
Allow your mind to wander, see what’s in there before someone else tells you what you think or feel. Let it run freely, away from the constant stimulation of digital noise.
Cultivating Mindfulness: If you want to reap the benefits of mindfulness don’t just read about it; start practicing. 12 minutes are a good start!
Mindfulness is not just a buzzword; it's a tool for mental clarity. It's about being present in the moment, not lost in the digital wilderness.
“You only have so many fucks to give; ration them wisely.”
Mark Manson
Prioritize. Filter. Focus.
Neuroscience suggests that practices like mindfulness and meditation can enhance our ability to regulate attention ("The Attention Revolution" by Alan Wallace).
It's about creating mental lanes where important thoughts can flow freely, undisturbed by the clutter of mental junk.
These days our brains are not just dealing with information; they're dealing with information overload. The art of focusing attention is not just a skill; it's a survival mechanism.
Our minds are not infinite expanses but finite spaces with limited bandwidth. The key to thriving in this information-saturated era is not to absorb more but to filter better, to choose wisely, and to navigate with intention.
So take some time to figure out what matters to you, and let go of the rest.
In this relentless information age, that's not just advice; it's a battle cry for sanity.
"You cannot be everything, but you can be something. And that something is not determined by what you can take in, but by what you choose to focus on." M. Manson