There are so many worthless things that mire us down with unimportant details that disturb, shock and otherwise depress us.
It doesn’t have to be that way! You have a CHOICE!
The 24 hour feedback loop of junk includes all social media, broadcast and print media and the ever screaming political echo chambers of both sides. We get pumped with information supposed to make us more happy while we have all in fact become much more miserable! Thanks, Twitter Trolls, late night cable hosts, and politicized Facebook “friends”!
Just twenty years ago we might have watched the evening news and read a (one) newspaper. Even without technology the best and brightest of the gilded age of reason struggled to keep it all under wraps. They wouldn’t stand a chance in the digital age!
Reading Poe on a Kindle after watching Tucker Carlson, reading the New York Times, and responding to the Twitter Trolls might just lead you to Poe’s tragic fate!
The human brain was not meant to be clutter. We are remarkably talented at focusing on one thing or another, but not dozens of inflammatory things all at once. Our complex minds do not leave us feeling fresh and focussed in today’s “garbage in” feedback loop. Rather, anxiety and depression are taking the place of focus and clarity.
What we thought was the truth…well…we just can’t determine what it is anymore! There’s too much crap going on for us to focus on the moment, let alone the future.
The FUTURE?!?
Information can try to bully it’s way into your head space. Don’t let Biff win!
Here are three things you can do right now to help regain clarity in your daily life and refocus on the very bright future you have waiting for you once the clutter clears:
- Limit Yourself to One News Source: That includes social media platforms, cable news, or print media. If you want your news from Facebook (I don’t advise that), fine, but for the rest of us click on the upper right hand corner and start “snoozing” the political hacks that appear on your timeline. All of them. Don’t get your news from more than one source.
- Don’t allow Twitter Trolls to walk in your mind with their dirty feet. Chances are you have a handful of good friends. Don’t think that you will find good ones on Twitter or other social media platforms. These platforms are being used by clutter monkeys to fill your head space full of their ideas! Follow only people/teams/things that bring you joy. Check in with them once a week. Pay NO mind (space) to the rest!
Twitter: Where would we be without thee? Probably someplace with a big, fat smile on our increasingly happy faces!
3. Snooze all electronics 2 hours prior to bed time. Buy an old fashioned alarm clock. I mean it! Take your phone to the laundry room and plug it in overnight. The content on TV (or the web for my cord cutting alliance) is NOT going anywhere. Don’t BROWSE the TV. Plan what you want to watch and then turn it off and go to bed. Studies show that people who have the most cumulative screen time also have the most misery.
You will feel better immediately after following these steps. If you fall off the wagon, just do it again. Your future depends on your ability to ‘fast’ excess information (junk) for long periods of time.
Move FORWARD. The future is going to be awesome with more clear minded people like you leading the way! HMU for more strategies!
I’m LivingWell’s Director of Performance and Personal Coaching! HMU at [email protected].
