If youre like most of us, you overindulged a bit too much in 2019. No, not on calories (well, maybe those too!), but on noise. Thats the name for the dizzying onslaught of information from work emails, app notifications, the 24/7 news cycle, social media updates, and other forms of screen time that leaves us unable to focus, listen, or do deep work.
A smidgen of noise now and again is okay. (We all have our guilty pleasures!) But consuming it mindlessly, all day long, is as bad as keeping a bag of chips, a monster-size soda, and a can of frosting at our desk and reaching for them every few minutes.
Too many empty brain calories wont make you fat but they will make you mentally anemic. Noise keeps you in a constant state of distraction. And like actual junk food, a high-noise digital diet is addictive, yet it never satisfies or nourishes you.
The real problem with giving into noise temptation isnt what youre doing; its what youre not doing. Youre tuning out what really matters. Youre skimming the surface. When youre scrolling Facebook, for instance, you arent learning a new language, refining that career-changing presentation, or engaging with your kids in a meaningful way.
The new year is the perfect time to put yourself on a noise diet. To help with your calorie count, lets take a look at what noise junk food looks like:
The irritating yet addictive parade of social media stock characters in your newsfeed. This band of noisemakers assaults your brain with their cries for attention. For instance:
The humble bragger. Your college rival who subtly slips into her post that she just got another promotion at her swanky company. #blessed #gag.
The cryptic drama-stirrer. That self-righteous friend who calls out people anonymously for perceived slights or makes vague poor me pity posts. (Cue the wave of very concerned commenters.)
The over-sharer. We dont need a play-by-play of your colonoscopy. Thanks.
The drop-of-a-hat ranter. Whose day would be complete without a furious recounting of how the barista screwed up your nonfat, dairy-free, double-shot, decaf, extra-hot mochaccino with extra foam? The nerve!
The overly zealous kid promoter. Yes, yes, we know Junior is the smartest, cutest, cleverest tot around your other 15 posts this week made that perfectly clear.
The amateur political pundit. Do not engage just dont.
Dumb@$$ shows on TV
You dont need to waste your precious attention span watching Jerry Springer, B-list celebrity lip-synch contests, or those morning talk shows. Substance-free television combined with the lure of a cozy couch can quickly turn into a lost day or evening.
The 24/7 news carousel-of-darkness
Sadly, most news is bad news, and during a controversial election year it can also be fodder for controversy, vitriol, and the loss of civility with friends, family, and neighbors. (Hint: You dont need to totally disengage, but its good to be discerning about what you let inand about how often you engage in debates with the people in your life.)
Your work email
Your boss just had to email you at 9:30 p.m. again. The moment you jump out of the bath to write back is the moment work email becomes yet another source of noise.
Are you feeling that noise hangover settle in? Dont worry, you can kick off the new year with a different kind of diet one that cuts the empty brain calories of digital distraction and gives you what youre really craving: a more intentional life.
Join my Just Say No to Noise Movement and tip the scales in the other direction. A few suggestions:
Try going a week without social media. (We promise, youll survive.) A short detox from social media is a pretty painless way to unplug and reclaim a lot of lost time. When the week is over, you can see if you even want to go back to occasional scrolling.
Reduce temptation by hiding distracting devices from yourself. Okay, you probably cant hide your computer but you can shut the office door. As for cell phones and tablets, treat them like what they are: gateways to digital distraction (and it is a very slippery slope). Find an out-of-the-way place to charge and store your devices so youre not constantly reaching for them.
Break the idiot-box background noise habit. Its easy to mindlessly turn on the TV when you get home. Problem is, its broadcasting nonstop noise into your work-free hours. Instead, plan a time to watch your favorite shows. Daily exposure to the depressing litany of pain and conflict we call news isnt making your life better. Neither is watching the Fatty McButterpants episode of King of Queens for the 50th time. (Okay, we admit that one is pretty funny.)
Set some work/life boundaries with the 7-to-7 rule. The company wont crash if you stop answering emails around the clock. After 7 p.m., put away your devices for the night. Dont pick them up again until 7 a.m. the next day.
Insist on phone-free family dinners Yes, the kids might whine at first, but soon enough theyll get used to conversing with the out-of-touch Boomers and Karens at the table. and screen-free family fun days.
For instance, make video games and TV completely off-limits every Wednesday and Friday. Yes, even if the kids swear they have no homework. Instead, do something fun or productive as a family. Play a board game. Go bowling or skating. Cook a great meal together. Volunteer at the local animal shelter. Heckmaybe even read.
Learn to save your appetite for the stuff that really matters Your appetite is really your attention span, and its your most precious resource. Filling up on headlines, emails, and social media means theres little left over for doing the deep and meaningful work that helps you reach big goals at work and in your personal life. Before you cozy into an hour of lurking on your exs Facebook page, close the laptop and find something productive to do.
and choose some meaningful goals to pursue. When you are able to sharpen and aim your focus, you can do some pretty impressive &%$#. Want to start a website? Get a better job? Learn to code? These North Star goals are the best incentive to rethink your relationship with noise and see how your life changes.
We dont realize that very often our addiction to information is the thing holding us back from getting a huge promotion, becoming valedictorian, or training for a marathon, but thats exactly what happens as time passes. Once you think of it this way, its so much easier to put yourself on a noise diet. Make this the year you take back your time and use it to do something that matters.
More here:
Why you should cut the empty 'brain calories' in 2020 - Plumas County Newspapers
