Latest Issue of the MindBrainEd Think Tank + (ISSN 2434-1002) 6 MindBrained Bulletin Think Tank V4i6 Mindfulness | Page 19

Instead of reacting to every e-mail, text, WhatsApp, Line, WeChat, Snapchat
we receive, mindfulness training fosters the ability to be more present with
an intention for that particular moment, e.g. studying, to respond in a
deliberate way. ‘Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In
that space lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In
our response lies our growth and our happiness’ (Stephen Covey in
Pattakos, 2008). The stimulus is the digital world, and the space is opened
by awareness, enabling a thoughtful response.
The key is in the power and freedom to decide how you want your
digital world to coexist with your physical world. Is unlocking your
phone over 100 times a day to check notifications okay with you? How
about spending one hour a day on Facebook? It’s up to you to decide.
As teachers and role models we need to ask ourselves these questions,
and we need to encourage our students to do the same.
Your power to choose:
start deciding how tech
will be part of your life
instead of letting it
decide for you
Awareness is the first step, and there are a variety of ways we can all become more
cognizant of our technology habits and in turn, to cultivate a healthy balance with
digital devices. Here are some suggestions for self-exploration of technology use and
mindfulness practices:
Collect and act on your technology habits data: They say knowledge is power,
so you can track your phone use with apps like Space, AntiSocial, and Moment.
Armed with data, you’ll be able to decide what changes you’d like to make, such as
deleting applications that lead to large amounts of wasted time. You can also change
daily notification settings to weekly updates or move your more addictive
applications away from your home screen – out of sight, out of mind.
Block out distractions during focus time: The benefit of apps like AntiSocial is
their variety of features, such as application blocking during different times of the
day. Giving yourself a break from notifications and stopping your ability to access
specific applications will help you get into, and stay in, a state of concentrated flow
during tasks that require sustained attention.
Plan your technology use: Design strategies that work for you and to stick to
them – consistency is key. For example: have a period before bed (1-2 hours) when
your phone is turned off, use your phone notifications as a reminder to pause and
take a mindful breath, or take 3 mindful breaths before hitting send on any e-mails
or messages. You can also clarify with others the speed and frequency with which you
will respond to personal and work messages.
Choose to be more present with others: Many of us have been guilty of
phubbing at one time or another, so keeping your phone out of sight during
conversations, turning your phone off when dining with others, or leaving your
phone at home occasionally are ways to connect in face-to-face situations.