1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: Hey everyone, it's Jay here. My wife and I have 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: had so much fun creating our own sparkling tea Juni, 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: and I've got big news for you. It's at Target 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: and we'd love your support. If you can go out 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: grab a Juny, You'll be adding adaptagens and new tropics 6 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: into your life with mood boosting properties aimed at promoting 7 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: a balanced and happy mind. Through our commitment to our 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: wellness journey and striving to fuel our bodies with the 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: healthiest ingredients, It's been our purpose to make healthy choices 10 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: accessible for all, which is why Juni is now on 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: shelves at Target. So head to our store locator at 12 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: Drinkjuni dot com and find Juny at a Target near you. 13 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: We feel so productive when we're doing lots of things. 14 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: We feel good when we feel busy. We feel valuable 15 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: when we feel busy. So much of the reason why 16 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: we enjoy being distracted is because we think we're doing 17 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: more when we're actually doing less. What's required is a 18 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: chain shift in our mindset and recognizing that sometimes when 19 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: you're doing things slower, you actually might be doing them better. 20 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: The number one Health and Well in the podcast Jay 21 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: Setty Jay Setty. Hey, everyone, welcome back to On Purpose. 22 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jay Shetty, and I'm so grateful that 23 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: you've decided to tune in. I have been thinking about 24 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: this a lot lately, and it's because I find that 25 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: our attention diminishes so gradually and so subtly, that it 26 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: can often take months or years to realize that there's 27 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: been an incredible decline. Now, I want to ask you 28 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: an honest and vulnerable question. How many of you are 29 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: feeling distracted? How many of you look at your phone 30 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: for no reason whatsoever. Studies show we grab our phone 31 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: out of our pocket around two hundred times per day. 32 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: And the truth is a lot of us won't have 33 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: seen the time, won't have checked anything specific, won't have 34 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:21,119 Speaker 1: done that intentionally. It will have been a completely unconscious, unintentional, 35 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: potentially unnecessary action. So let me ask you again, are 36 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: you feeling more distracted? Are you feeling like you're struggling 37 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: to pay attention? Are you feeling challenged being present? Maybe 38 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: you struggle in a meeting to really be there with 39 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: everyone else that you're around. Maybe when someone's giving a 40 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: presentation on a zoom call, you see yourself just drifting 41 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: in and out, or maybe sometimes the meeting ends and 42 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: then you finally realize that you weren't present at all. 43 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 1: Maybe it's your partner who's pointed it out a few times, 44 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: telling you, Hey, are you really listening to me? Hey, 45 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 1: I don't think you're always present with me. Hey did 46 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: you know what happened with the kids today? If you've 47 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: experienced any of this, I want you to know you're 48 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: not alone. It's not a weakness, it's somewhat not your fault, 49 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: and it's actually something that we're all struggling with. Listen 50 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: to this episode to get less distracted. Listen to this 51 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 1: episode to increase your focus, and listen to this episode 52 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: so that you can be more present in your life. Now, 53 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 1: tell me if this ever happened to you, or tell 54 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: me if it often happens to you. You're paying attention 55 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: to something or someone, maybe it's a speech, an activity, 56 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: and you get the urge to look at your phone. 57 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: You better believe I've been there regularly. In fact, I 58 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: think it's fair to say we all do this. As 59 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: technology is advanced, As distractions a multiplied, our ability to 60 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: focus has been shrinking. But I promise you, with some 61 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: conscious effort, you can build it back. This episode is 62 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: deadated to help you do just that. Now listen to 63 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: this research. Back in two thousand and four, researchers at 64 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: UC Irvine set out to understand how information workers divided 65 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: their focus. They looked at analysts, software engineers, and managers, 66 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 1: examining how quickly people pivoted between email, desk work and 67 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: their phones, and the results were kind of mind boggling. 68 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: The researchers found that, on average, people spend about two 69 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: and a half minutes concentrating on a task before turning 70 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: their attention elsewhere. That's not long at all, right, because 71 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: that original study came before smartphones, before social media, before 72 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: twenty four to seven notifications, and always access scrolling. So 73 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:58,239 Speaker 1: in twenty twelve, some of the researchers ran another study. 74 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: This time they found that the average time spent on 75 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: a task had dropped to seventy five seconds, and even 76 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:12,799 Speaker 1: more recently, one research discovered that the average attention span 77 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: on computers and smartphones was a mere forty seven seconds. 78 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: That's a whole another level of mind boggling. To make 79 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: the point really clear, if you look at platforms like TikTok, 80 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: platforms like meta platforms like Instagram, a lot of them 81 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: count an eight second view as a view, So when 82 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 1: you look at views, it's really someone who's watched it 83 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 1: for eight seconds. Eight seconds is considered presence, and I 84 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: think if you look at yourself scrolling on social media, 85 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: you find yourself spending one to two, maybe three seconds 86 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: on a video before you scroll past it, which is 87 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: why eight seconds is seen as such a significant number. 88 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: That's what it takes to keep or loose use our 89 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: attention eight seconds. All of the social media world knows 90 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: that if you don't grab someone's attention in eight seconds, 91 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: you've already lost it. Now, this probably isn't the first 92 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: you're hearing about this precipitous decline in focus, and at 93 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: the very least, you definitely feel it. And even if 94 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: multitasking may seem efficient, it actually has a negative impact 95 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: on cognitive performance, on productivity and mood. Listen to this. 96 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: Studies show that only two percent of people can actually multitask. 97 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: And the funny thing is when ninety eight percent of 98 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: us here that we all think we're in that two percent, 99 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: the truth is the majority of us cannot multitask. Monotasking 100 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: or solo tasking is the art of focusing on one 101 00:06:56,200 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: thing at a time, the ability to dedicate that moment, 102 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: your conscious effort, and your mind space to that time. 103 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: One of the things I've been practicing to help me 104 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: with that is leaving my phone outside of the room. 105 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: Sometimes I'd have my phone in my pocket. Sometimes I'd 106 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: have my phone on my desk. Now, if you have 107 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: it in your pocket, you have the urge to take 108 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: it out. If you leave it face up on your desk, 109 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: you see notifications popping through. If you leave it face 110 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: down on your desk, you may have the urge to 111 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: flip it over. Just it being there causes attention and 112 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: a distraction between you and the person you're with. Leaving 113 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: it outside of the room has allowed me to create 114 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: that space to truly monotask or solo task. I also 115 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: started to realize how much I've been losing the ability 116 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: to immerse myself. I remember being able to really sit 117 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: with something rather and I took a trip a couple 118 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: of weekends ago to Big Sir. Big Sir is around 119 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: and you know, I think about like seven or eight 120 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: hours drive away from LA and it's known to be 121 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: a really peaceful place, a very spiritual place where you can, 122 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 1: you know, bathe in the trees, you can go for hikes, 123 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: you can, you know, be in nature. And so rather 124 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: than I took a break, and I noticed how my 125 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: entire nervous system switched off by being there. And when 126 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: we were there, it was so natural to just be 127 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: present with the trees, or when we'd go on hikes 128 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: and we'd see deer, to just be present, when we'd 129 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: be on a walk through these winding pathways and bridges, 130 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: to just be present. And if you've ever experienced deep 131 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: presence or deep rest in that way, you start to 132 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: value it. And I think often what we've done is 133 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,679 Speaker 1: we feel so productive when we're doing lots of things. 134 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,839 Speaker 1: We feel good when we feel busy, we feel valuable 135 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: when we feel busy. So much of the reason why 136 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: we enjoy being distracted is because we think we're doing 137 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 1: more when we're actually doing less. So what's required is 138 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: a change in our values. What's required is a change 139 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: and shift in our mindset and recognizing that sometimes when 140 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: you're doing things slower, you actually might be doing them better. 141 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: Think about that for a second. It's a really random thought, right, 142 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: It's kind of counterintuitive. There are a lot of things 143 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: in the world that if you did them slower, you'd 144 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: be doing them better. I'll give you give you an example. 145 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 1: Iravader talks about how when you're eating food, each morsel 146 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 1: should be chewed thirty two times. Now, I know that 147 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: may sound ridiculous, but if you try and do it, 148 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: there's a reason why when you bite your food. And 149 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: the example or the irradic language around it is you 150 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: should drink your food to your drinks. Now, I know 151 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: that sounds complicated, but let me break it down for you. 152 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 1: So you should drink your food. Does that mean if 153 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: you've broken your food down, if you've chewed it enough 154 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: down to feeling like liquid, it becomes easier on your digestion. 155 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: If you've been able to chew your drinks, or you 156 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: don't just gulp it down, but you take a moment 157 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: with it, you actually make it easier to digest. So 158 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 1: when you change the pace of how quickly you eat, 159 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: how quickly you bite, how intentionally you digest food, it 160 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: becomes easier for your gut. There are so many things 161 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: that would be better if we did them slower. So 162 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: I want to ask you to reflect. What is it 163 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: that you could do more slowly. What is it that 164 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: you could do more present that you think would improve it. 165 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: Maybe the flusteredness that you feel in a meeting or 166 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 1: the stress you feel in a meeting is because you're 167 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 1: allowing your mind to jump from place to place. What 168 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: if it was just in that meeting. What if you 169 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: just listen to what that person was saying. What if 170 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: you'd actually achieve more, You'd make better decisions, you'd make 171 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: better long term decisions. How many times have you had 172 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: it where someone said something, you go, yeah, sure, that's fine, 173 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: and then a month later you're like, wait a minute, 174 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: I don't remember even saying that I had this happened 175 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: to me recently, And it's just I mean, my team 176 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: will probably tell you it happens more often than not. 177 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 1: And I started to realize how we don't make good decisions. 178 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: We're just making decisions in the moment, strung between two decisions. Right, 179 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: you're choosing what to order to eat at the same 180 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: time as making a decision at work. You're choosing where 181 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: to go out for dinner tonight, while you're deciding what 182 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: to wear. Right, you're choosing you know, whatever it is, right, 183 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: There's just so many things like that, So let's talk 184 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 1: about what else we can do to combat this wavering attention. Now, 185 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: one of my favorite techniques is called the Pomoduro technique. 186 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: The way this works is you focus on a single task, 187 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: usually for twenty five minutes. Then you take a short 188 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: break around five to ten minutes, and then repeat that cycle. 189 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,559 Speaker 1: After four or cycles, you've earned yourself a longer break 190 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: to reset. During each period of focus, you silence your phone, 191 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: turn off notifications, and clear your workspace of distractions. The 192 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: idea is that if you know a break is coming 193 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: and you only have to put your head down for 194 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 1: a manageable interval, then you can truly commit to the 195 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: task at hand. And I mean that that social media 196 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: notification can wait for twenty five minutes, right And by 197 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: the way, when your mind knows that it's only twenty 198 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 1: five minutes away, you can actually resist the urge for 199 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: checking it. This is often the techniques that apply to children. 200 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: When children know that there's a reward at the end 201 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:47,559 Speaker 1: of a challenge, they're more likely to sit through it. 202 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: Now that said, if initially this makes you feel uneasy 203 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 1: to disconnect like that, you can start with shorter intervals 204 00:12:54,640 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 1: and gradually increase your focus blocks. Ultimately, with diligent practice, 205 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: you'll naturally rebuild your concentration muscle. You'll naturally increase your 206 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: attention span, which will serve you in the long run. 207 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: And I think you really have to look at it 208 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: like a muscle. If you haven't lifted a weight in 209 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: a long time, you don't just go into the gym 210 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: and lift the biggest weights there. So if you haven't 211 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: focused and concentrated for consecutive hours for a long time, 212 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: don't just force yourself to do what's ideal, what seems perfect. 213 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: Take your time with it. And look, I'm not saying 214 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,319 Speaker 1: the Pomodora technique is the be all and end or 215 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 1: it's just one of many tools that could potentially help 216 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: you to concentrate to single task to perform at your best. Right, 217 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: we live in a connected world. I'm not saying anything 218 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: you haven't heard before, And at any moment we can 219 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 1: be texting or checking emails or laughing at cat videos, 220 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: which can be fine if you're waiting in line or 221 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,079 Speaker 1: lazing on the couch, but it's not so great when 222 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: you're doing more active stuff like hanging out with friends, 223 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: getting work done or simply walking around, which is why 224 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 1: I highly recommend you also set no technology zones and 225 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:08,839 Speaker 1: no technology times in your home and in your workplace. 226 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: One of the things I've done is I've disconnected my 227 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: social media apps from my laptop. So if I'm on 228 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: my laptop, I'm fully there for work, I'm there for email, 229 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: I'm there for my documents, I'm there for my spreadsheets, 230 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: but I'm not connected to social media. So when it 231 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: comes to no technology times, it's like saying no technology 232 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: in the house before eight am and then no technology 233 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: being used after eight pm. What you're doing is you're 234 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: creating barriers and boundaries, healthy points of contact so that 235 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: now you're not constantly absorbed, and the whole house has 236 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: rules so that you can both follow them or however 237 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: many of you are at home now. This also applies 238 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: to no technology zones in the home, for example, the 239 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: dining table no need for technology, the bedroom, no need 240 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: for technology. How can you find a way to make 241 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: sure whenever you're going out to dinner having friends over 242 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: for dinner, no technology. It's creating these habits that everyone 243 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: can subscribe to in order to limit distraction. What we 244 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: don't realize is inattention bleeds when we want attention. So 245 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: what happens is we want to be really attentive when 246 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: we're with our family and our friends, but we want 247 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: to be inattentive at work. It doesn't work like that. 248 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: You can't be absent at work and be present at home. 249 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: Inattention bleeds into all areas of your life. If you're 250 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: not present in each moment, it's hard to be present 251 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: in any moment. And what's really important for me to 252 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: say about these no technology times and zones is just 253 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: creating barriers, boundaries, and healthy habits to protect your mind 254 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: and the mind of others. Now, the other thing I 255 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: want to discuss is we talk about distraction, is we 256 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: don't realize how we can also be distracted even when 257 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: we're moving. Now, let me explain what I mean by that. Obviously, 258 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: it's quite common to walk around while looking at your phone. 259 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: In fact, in twenty fourteen, it was estimated that twenty 260 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: five percent of pedestrians in Manhattan had their rise glued 261 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: to their devices. I'm guessing it's even worse today. I 262 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: remember Arianna Huffington telling a great story about how she 263 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: was walking through New York and she saw this building 264 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,160 Speaker 1: and she said to her team, she was like, oh 265 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: my god, this building's beautiful, Like how long has it 266 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: been there? When was it made? And they were like 267 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty nine or something like that, And she said, 268 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: she walks down this street every day. It's right near 269 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: our office and she hadn't seen it. It's so common 270 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: for us. I mean, I'm sure if you're a driver, 271 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: you get angry at the people are walking across the 272 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: street with their head down looking at their phone. Now, 273 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: we all know that our phones can distract us from 274 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 1: the present moment, but a team of researchers in New 275 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:06,200 Speaker 1: Zealand wondered if it affected us in other ways as well, 276 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: so they devised a study. Participants were asked to stroll 277 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: around a park. Half of them were given smartphones with 278 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 1: instructions to read about the park while they were walking. 279 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: This phone group was told it was important to stay 280 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,360 Speaker 1: focused on what they were reading. The other half ambled 281 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 1: about phone free with instructions to pay attention to the environment. 282 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: All the participants wore fitness trackers and at the end, 283 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:38,880 Speaker 1: they performed self evaluations about mood and comfort, as well 284 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: as their feelings of power and connectedness to nature. Here's 285 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:46,119 Speaker 1: what the researchers found. The phone group walked with a 286 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: more stooped posture and a slower gate. They felt less 287 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: physically comfortable. They also experienced more negative emotions and fewer 288 00:17:55,320 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: positive ones, and they felt less powerful. Our own free group, 289 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 1: on the other hand, felt positive, powerful, and connected to nature. Intuitively, 290 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 1: this makes sense. It does feel better to stroll through 291 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: a park disconnected, and clearly that would help you get 292 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: in tune with nature. But what surprised me was the 293 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 1: depth of those differences. The researchers even stated that phone 294 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: use effectively reverses all the beneficial effects of a jaunt 295 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: in the park. As Professor Elizabeth Broadbent told The New 296 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: York Times, instead of feeling more positive after walking, people 297 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:42,120 Speaker 1: felt less positive, less excited, less happy, less relaxed. So 298 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: the takeaway is clear, go for a walk, but stay 299 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: off your phone. And you know, this isn't only about walking. 300 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: This insight holds for parties and events, lunchtime with colleagues 301 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: and dinner with friends. And I get it. We reach 302 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: for our phones to stay on top of things, but 303 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: there are tangible benefits your mood and health if you 304 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: can resist the urge. Really take a moment to think 305 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 1: about what you can do and what you can change, 306 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:13,679 Speaker 1: because what I don't want to happen after this episode 307 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:17,160 Speaker 1: is that you feel guilty and you shame yourself because 308 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: this is something we're all dealing with. This isn't a 309 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: you problem. This is a twenty twenty four, twenty twenty 310 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: five and the rest of our life problem that each 311 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 1: and every one of us is living with, struggling with, 312 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: and being challenged by. And so we can either sit 313 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: here and guilt ourselves and make ourselves feel bad, or 314 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,120 Speaker 1: we can look at it and go this is something 315 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: we'd have to deal with in our lifetime. Let's create 316 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:48,120 Speaker 1: effective strategies and steps to get ourselves out of it. Okay, 317 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 1: I am so excited about this because we've got the 318 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 1: first ever merch drop for on Purpose. It's finally here 319 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: and for world Mental health. Today, we're doing an exclusive 320 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 1: limited edition drop with all the proceeds going to the 321 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI. So now you can 322 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: wear your on Purpose merch, listen to the podcast and 323 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 1: know that you two are having an impact. I want 324 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: to thank you so much in advance. I can't wait 325 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: to see all of your pictures wearing the merch their sweatshirts, 326 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 1: a hat, t shirts. Check it out on our website 327 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 1: jshetdyshop dot com. That's jshettishop dot com and remember one 328 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: hundred percent of the proceeds go to Nami. Another technique 329 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: I love is finish what you start. Don't start a 330 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: new task before the current one is complete. I think 331 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: we've got into this habit of starting multiple things at 332 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: the same time, doing everything we possibly can at the 333 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: same time, doing anything and everything at the same time, 334 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,199 Speaker 1: because it feels more fun, it feels more exciting. And 335 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: what do we realize our completion rate drops. What happens 336 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: when our completion rate drops, our distraction increases because now 337 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: we feel we become someone who doesn't complete things. I 338 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 1: want to read you something that I read from a 339 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: book by tik Nat Hahn, an amazing Tibetan Budhist monk 340 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: called How to Walk, and one of the things he 341 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 1: writes is invest your whole body. Invest one hundred percent 342 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: of yourself into making a step. Touching the ground with 343 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: your foot, you produce the miracle of being alive. You 344 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: make yourself real and the earth real with each step. 345 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: The practice should be very strong and determined. You are 346 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 1: protecting yourself from the habit energy that is always pushing 347 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: you to run and to get lost in thinking. Bring 348 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: all your attention down to the soles of your feet 349 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,199 Speaker 1: and touch the earth as though you are kissing the 350 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: earth with your feet. Each step is like the seal 351 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: of an emperor on a decree. Walk as though you 352 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 1: print your solidity, your freedom, and your peace on the earth. 353 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 1: I mean, how beautiful is it to think that something 354 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:14,200 Speaker 1: is simply walking could be that powerful, Something is simply 355 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:18,640 Speaker 1: taking a step, could be that monumental. And that's really 356 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: what meditation is. Meditation is the ability to create meaning 357 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 1: through the most simple, ordinary things, the ability to find meaning, 358 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: to find value, to find the essence of what that does. 359 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: Every step can make a huge, huge difference. While I 360 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 1: was talking to a friend yesterday and he said something 361 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: amazing to me. He said, Jay, it was only when 362 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: I stopped I realized how many sensations they are in 363 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: the body. He said, I didn't realize this before today, 364 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,360 Speaker 1: about how much is going on. And another thing Tik 365 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: Nahan says in How to Walk, which I love, is 366 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 1: he says one of the most profound is also the 367 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: shortest I have arrived. Our true home is in the 368 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 1: present moment. To live in the present moment is a miracle. 369 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: When I breathe in and become fully alive, I see 370 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 1: myself as a miracle. When I look at an orange mindfully, 371 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 1: I see the orange as a miracle. When I peel 372 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:24,919 Speaker 1: an orange mindfully, I see that eating an orange is 373 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: also a miracle. The fact that you are still alive 374 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,919 Speaker 1: is a miracle. So miracles are the things that you 375 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: perform several times each day with the power of mindfulness. 376 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 1: The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle 377 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,919 Speaker 1: is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, 378 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 1: to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now. 379 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: I perform this miracle every time I walk. You two 380 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: can perform the miracle of walking any time you want. 381 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: These words from tik Nahn are so powerful because I 382 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:03,400 Speaker 1: think our busy lives have made us see the ordinary 383 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,120 Speaker 1: is nothing but ordinary. But if you think about your 384 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: favorite moments, weren't they when you took in the ordinary. 385 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 1: Maybe it was your friend's laugh, Maybe it was something 386 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: that you were both joking about. Maybe it was a 387 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: shared emotion or expression. Maybe it was a joint love 388 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 1: for food. It was something simple, It was something beautiful. 389 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: It was something tiny and organic and natural. It wasn't 390 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: something constructed, engineered and manufactured. If anything, when you were 391 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: trying to create something, it may not have had that. 392 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: So I hope this is your reminder to be more 393 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: in the present, to be more mindful, to live in 394 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: a way that we're not just allowing ourselves to get distracted, 395 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: that we recognize that just a few of these simple 396 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: tips can help us walk and live a better life. 397 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: I really hope you loved this episode. If you did, 398 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: please go and check out some of my meditations on 399 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: the Daily Jay on calmcom dot com forward slash j 400 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 1: and you'll be able to discover some really beautiful meditations 401 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: that you can practice. You can listen to as you 402 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: walk as you make your way to work, Rather than 403 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: filling all of our gaps with scrolling, where we only 404 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 1: feel more overwhelmed. Imagine we're consuming so much information in 405 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: such a short period of time. Our brains and our 406 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:22,240 Speaker 1: mind deserve a bit of a break. You deserve deep rest, 407 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 1: And I hope this episode has helped you connect with it. 408 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. Remember I'm always rooting for you, 409 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: and I'm forever in your corner. Thank you, Thank you 410 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:35,360 Speaker 1: so much for listening to this conversation. If you enjoyed it, 411 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: you'll love my chat with Adam Grant on why discomfort 412 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,879 Speaker 1: is the key to growth and the strategies for unlocking 413 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 1: your hidden potential. If you know you want to be 414 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 1: more and achieve more this year, go check it out 415 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: right now. You set a goal today, you achieve it 416 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: in six months, and then by the time it happens, 417 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:57,479 Speaker 1: it's almost a relief. There's no sense of meaning and purpose. 418 00:25:57,640 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 1: You sort of expected it, and you would have been 419 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 1: disappointed it didn't happen.