By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – April 3, 2023
These days, there is so much competition for our attention. At times, it can feel like we are pulled in a hundred directions with all different mediums vying for emotional control of our hearts and minds (and let’s be honest, our wallets). It can feel overwhelming.
Recently, someone commented on our YouTube channel that they were amazed at how transformational getting rid of some of these attention hogs was for them. Dry Dizzle said, “I noticed that, when I got rid of my TV and video game systems, along with switching to a dumb phone instead of a smartphone, my thinking fundamentally transformed. I was more focused and present to those around me, and I didn’t struggle with my ADHD symptoms as much.
“Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t perfect, but my self-regulation radically improved just by cutting out those things. I think people with ADHD are particularly prone to a ‘hypnotic’ effect from highly stimulating artificial activities like TV and video games.”
Now, that last sentence about television and gaming is worth another blog post all on its own, but what I really wanted to share is Dry Dizzle’s pivotal Aha! moment.
How about you? At the end of the day, if you got off TikTok, will you really have missed much?
Sounds like a great plan, but I firmly believe I have a phone/computer addiction. I’m on my phone or computer 8 hours or more every day (retired) and have not been able to wean myself of even a little bit. Very disheartening with a big dose of lost self-esteem.
Thanks for your comment. Those with ADHD struggle with self-regulation… thus, they struggle with addictive behavior. Sounds like you are struggling. Don’t beat yourself up over it. You might consider getting help.