Unplug When The World Is So Crazy - Three Tactics You Need To Know!

I know, I know. It's hard to unplug when the world is so crazy. But sometimes, it's exactly what we need.

While I was laid up with Covid over the festive period and into January (it knocked me for six) I finished an amazing book called State of Fear by Laura Dodsworth. It's a hugely researched account of the amplification of public fear during the early days and right through the pandemic.

There's an excerpt from an essay by behavioural scientist Patrick Fagan included in the book. This really struck a chord with me as it sets out three solid tactics we can use to fight back against the nudges and here's my take on them, let me know what you think.

??? Uncover (your biases)

Most of the time, we aren't even aware that we're being nudged. We go through life making decisions without questioning why we're making them - and sometimes, we're not even aware of what's motivating us.

Simply put, cognitive biases are the ways our brains trick us into thinking a certain way. They're the unconscious biases that influence our judgments and decision-making without us even realising it.

?? Unplug (Ditch the tech and go off-grid)

With so much information available at our fingertips, it is easy to become overwhelmed and distracted. Be mindful of the amount of time we spend consuming news and media, as well as the type of content we are consuming. The constant flow of images and videos can be emotionally engaging and persuasive.

Unplug from technology when we are tired, hungry, stressed, or distracted. So we can focus on what's important and make more reasoned decisions.

?? UPLIFT (Give yourself more conscious brainpower)

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is released when we experience something rewarding., like eating an indulgent meal or spending time on social media (I love watching funny goat videos).

While dopamine hits can make us feel good in the moment, they can also be harmful in the long run.

While I was ill I noticed I started to check my social media and news feeds compulsively and was spending an unhealthy amount of time on my tech. Ultimately I felt it was damaging my mental health as the excessive dopamine stimulation was having a negative effect on my mood.

Internal distractions, obsessive thoughts and negative emotions can be cleared away by practising mindfulness, or by talking about your problems with a professional, or specialised peer 2 peer support groups such as Andys Man Club

To Sum Up

The three tactics are a great starting point for resisting the nudges that bombard us every day. But it's not easy - it requires effort and sometimes, it means unplugging from the chaos of the world

By reducing our cognitive load, uncovering our biases, and uplifting ourselves through mindfulness, be it a walk outdoors to my weapon of choice meditation. Help us make better decisions, resist external manipulation and live meaningful lives we must keep working away at strengthening these three solid tactics you now have in your armoury.

Ultimately the goal is to give your brain room to think by reducing chaos in life so it has more time for thinking creatively or solving problems with a calm mind than constantly being pulled into chaotic situations that don't allow these important things to happen! To quote William H McRaven & Jordan B Peterson -

make your bed and clean your room

Ps.......

One of my new year's resolutions is to be more creative and write more, even though I'm dyslexic. As sometimes it seems like words are hiding from me on the page! So Ive revamped my app stack and am now packing heat, I'm using AI as an assistive technology linked to my dictation app in google docs. If you'd like to learn more shoot me an email [email protected] or slide into my dm's on LinkedIn!

I believe practice puts brains in your muscles ????????