Mindfulness x Technology
I’m totally for keeping spiritual spaces sacred, but if we constantly leave everyday components of our lives out of our practice, when will we learn to skillfully interact with them once we leave a retreat or class?
It might be easy to say that life was better without technology, but I think the reason why they take up so much of our lives right now is that they can be quite powerful, especially when used in ways that support us. Since it’s here to stay, our challenge becomes using them in a way that makes us better and not takes us or others down.
Take a few moments to reflect on the following:
What do you appreciate about your devices/technology?
What are the ways your devices help you stay connected?
What are some of the ways technology is supportive in achieving your goals?
In a short Instagram story series, I asked you to notice if you’re breathing, what body parts are touching the ground or your seat, and your emotions or feelings as you scroll.
This is what some of you had to say when I asked you what you discovered about yourself in that mindful moment:
"Feet grounded, spine lengthened and breath awareness"
"#techapnea is real"
"As I consciously took deep breaths I noticed there is an area of stickiness in my breath"
"Yes, I’m anxious and getting off this thing now."
"I felt tensions [sic] in my shoulders & realized I’m no longer in the present moment"
"I couldn’t have seen this at a better time"
"Yes. Tired."
Being mindful as we engage with our technology is a lot easier than we think! Scroll below to find out how. And remember to breathe while you do.
SET BOUNDARIES
Create windows of non-stimulation throughout your day (e.g. before 8 am and after 9pm) and during those times read, write, or play games!
Advanced: In addition to your daily block out times, add one day a week (e.g. Saturday 6pm to Sunday 6pm) and one week a year (e.g. December 25 to January 1)!
ASK YOURSELF
When you feel drawn toward your gadgets in between those times, ask yourself the following (from Lori Deschene):
Is it necessary to share this? Will it add value to my life and for other people?
Can I share this experience later so I can focus on living it now?
Am I looking for validation? Is there something I could do to validate myself?
Am I avoiding something I need to do instead of addressing why I don't want to do it?
Am I feeling bored? Is there something else I could do to feel more purposeful and engaged in my day?
Am I feeling lonely? Have I created opportunities for meaningful connections in my day?
Am I afraid of missing out? Is the gratification of giving in to that fear worth missing out on what's in front of me?
Am I overwhelming myself, trying to catch up? Can I let go of yesterday's conversation and join today's instead?
Can I use this time to simply be instead of looking for something to do to fill it?
Do I just want to have mindless fun for a while?
TAKE CONTROL
Despite how we might feel, there are humans working hard to bridge the gap between nature and our devices. The folks at humanetech.com suggest the following:
Turn off all notifications except those from people: Notifications appear in red dots because red is a trigger color that instantly draws our attention, but most notifications are generated by machines and not actual people.
Go Grayscale: Colorful icons give our brains shiny rewards every time we unlock. Set your phone to grayscale to remove those positive reinforcements.
Try keeping your home screen to tools only: Like Maps, Camera, Calendar, Notes, or Uber. Move the rest of your apps off the first page and into folders.
Launch other apps by typing: Type the app you want to open instead of leaving bad habits on the home screen (iOS: swipe down, Android: use the search box). Typing takes just enough effort to make us pause and ask, “do I really want to do this?”
Charge your device outside the bedroom: And buy an alarm clock! I love this one. It helps with the particularly dark mornings.
Go cold turkey and remove social media from your phone: And start carrying a book and/or journal with you.
Send audio notes or call instead of texting: Recording a quick voice message is often faster and less stressful than typing out each letter. Plus, it doesn't require your full visual attention.
Use texting shortcuts: Use quick reactions like emojis.
Be patient: With other people’s response time. Hopefully, they’ll return the favor, too.
Advanced: Turn your smartphone into a dumbphone! Simply do a Google search to find out how for your iOS or Android device.
INCLUDE YOUR LAPTOP
The following are useful extensions and tools I've downloaded for my laptop:
Flux: designed to reduce eye strain during night-time use, helping to reduce the disruption of sleep patterns.
Inbox When Ready: will help you check your inbox with reasonable frequency, batch process your email on a regular schedule and minimize the total time you spend in your inbox.
Enable “Send + Archive” (Gmail only): allows you to send and archive messages with one click, also minimizing the time spent in your inbox.
Distraction-Free YouTube: hides the distracting elements of Youtube so you don’t fall into the blackhole binge of unnecessary videos.
Momentum Dash: personal dashboard designed to eliminate distraction and provide inspiration, focus, and productivity.
Facebook Purity: alters your view of Facebook to show only the information you choose to see.
Finally, disable the autoplay feature on YouTube (by clicking the button upper right of the "Up Next" video thumbnails) and Netflix (via settings).
As you might have figured out by now, there is a lot of good to technology, we just need to cultivate the skills to use it wisely. I personally love trying to leverage technology in wholesome ways because I see it as a direct medium to make practices accessible to those without the privilege of a nearby teacher or center, funds, or time to practice.
I've created the following guided meditation with the intention to bridge the gap between ."practice" and technology. My hopes are that with enough practice, whenever you use your phone for whatever reason, you'll be able to have moments of mindfulness.
