Focus

Focus, concentration and completion are the collateral damage of the digital age.

Moving from what Richard Rohr describes as first half of life into second half of life I have noticed how my daily patterns and practices have become increasingly shaped and influenced by digital technology. I read this week of a woman close to my stage of life and place of living who had been diagnosed by her GP as having ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She on the other hand suggests an alternate interpretation believing she is experiencing overwhelm during menopause. Could neuro-diversity disorders for some people be plausibly viewed as a reasonable and normal response to the demands of modern technology?

If this version of events is worthy of consideration it suggests that focus is becoming more and more challenged, prevented and mitigated against by our digital technology. Lack of focus is an intended consequence. The need to buy a train ticket, buy food, to communicate with family, friends or colleagues, to submit a report, to fix your car or see a dentist or arrange a gym session - each increasingly requires us to download an app onto a digital devise to complete the task. The irony of what I describe is not missed as I tap away at my keyboard, whilst writing this blog I have been distracted into reading messages popping up on my phone, making a cup of tea, half writing an email, looking up images for an event and generally going round the digital houses until I found myself back on my blog tag.

I am not advocating a digital free world. This is not an anti-science or technology agenda. Nevertheless, I am curious as too ways to find balance, reduce overload and overwhelm, ease off the digital dopamine hits and exit the rabbit warren of insta, tick tock hell.

• Could there be a place for disconnecting to reconnect?

• What might be the antidote to digital overwhelm?

• How might I rediscover my focus and powers of concentration?

Following Richard Louv's exposition into nature deficit disorder and the consequent impact on our kids lives, it is not a huge leap of the imagination to see how now we kids have grown up the realised nature deficit is presenting in adulthood in a myriad of ways. Overwhelm being a classic example.

To reclaim focus I choose to intentionally leave my phone at home and not to be interrupted, tempted, distracted away from being present in the here and now. Try it occasionally. I choose to go away without my laptop so as not to be drawn into working out of hours or bring drawn into YouTube. Of course this speaks to my own lack of restraint to prevent the preventable. I accept I need to create a physical barrier between me and my digital devices. Those more disciplined will be able to deny yourself access to digital distractions and interactions more easily. I know myself well enough to need a much greater intervention.

And I repeat, I am not a luddite who is anti-technology. The digital era has unleashed a super power and brings with it incredible benefits. There is a shadow side to the glorious digital rewards and it is this looming dark cloud I am seeking to expose and address. As a life form I genuinely need to be with other life forms. To be connected, in community, in relationship with other living beings human and more than human. When this is superseded by computers and digital systems I start to fray at the cellular seems. This could be in the shape of withdrawal, disengagement or self-sabotage. None of which is particularly fruitful or regenerative. Instead of seeking a carpe diem epiphany why not reach out for a more carpe vitam encounter.