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Describing the everyday, undisciplined, jittery mind as a “Monkey Mind,” is the description of mental restlessness that Tibetan Teachers use to reference a mind set that is constantly moving in the shallows and never going deep on much of anything. The first step in conquering  this condition is the cessation of the noise within. The biblical discipline of Silence and Solitude are excellent tools to silence and calm a mind that dances continually.

Email Apnea

Linda Stone a technology consultant, writer, and former Apple and Microsoft Executive coined the phrase “Continuous Partial Attention.” This describes the way a person divides focus among multiple devices while never giving any single one full attention.

She discovered in her research that she along with many others would hold their breath at various intervals while checking their emails. The phrase email apnea is a play on sleep apnea. A full and complete study has not been done, but consider that roughly 2 billion people in the world have access to the web which is more than twice who have a mobile phone. It would seem that email apnea could be pervasive.

Also consider that computer users spend an average of 43 minutes daily/5 hours weekly/11 days annually waiting on computers to boot, load software, open files and connect to the web. This would be a good place to re-insert the disciplines of Silence and Solitude.

Our best work comes from moments in which our minds are focused and stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. When you add the numerous phone calls, emails, text messages, and people who have a quick question that demands an answer, your ability to focus is eroded along with your identity and worth.

Task Switching

Imagine that you are listening to a conversation on one subject while writing and email about another, or trying to participate in a meeting while scanning the headlines. Better yet don’t imagine it, just remember the last time you did this. Research has demonstrated that every time that you move from one screen to the next screen on your device costs you time, mental energy, and sets you up for the biggest mistakes that you will make. Thinking that you are effectively moving from emails to text messages to checking news feeds all while listening to a conference call or participating in a seminar is easy and effective. The truth that we deny is we are actually ineffective. To accomplish any task, mental energy is required. Depending on who you read, you literally lose hours weekly.

HUGE IDEA

Perhaps it is time that we take a technology sabbath. Unplug from all devices and allow your mind to take a break from the myriad of tasks. In these quiet moments we reconnect with the old adage; Pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice!”

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Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!