social media – Travis Buell

As we welcome a new year, many of us feel a pull to set resolutions that improve our lives—whether it’s exercising more, eating healthier, or spending more time with loved ones. Creating achievable resolutions each year has made a huge impact in my life. I have created a discipline of stacking habits over the years that have allowed me to move toward a healthy and well-lived lifestyle. But I still struggle with owning my attention. Carrying around a device where anyone in the world, including automated marketing campaigns and push notifications, can instantly get a hold of me is not a path to a peaceful and engaged life. In our increasingly distracted world, taking control of my attention is my focus for 2025.

Our focus is our most precious and exploited resource. You can always make more money, but none of us can make more time. Moreover, the quality of the time we spend is diminished when we are distracted. Social media platforms, streaming services, and news outlets compete for every spare moment of our day. Remote work and smart devices have allowed our employment to bleed over into our personal lives. This constant tug on our attention not only leaves us more distracted but also diminishes our happiness, creativity, and ability to connect meaningfully with others.

The Attention Economy and Its Impact on Happiness

The attention economy thrives on keeping us engaged as long as possible, often using algorithms designed to exploit our psychological vulnerabilities. Endless scrolling, autoplay features, and personalized recommendations may seem harmless, but they encourage habits of distraction and impulse. The average person spends over 2 hours daily on social media—time that could be spent pursuing passions, deepening relationships, or simply resting. Remember, if a company is offering you a service for free, then your attention is actually the product they are selling.

The result? A growing body of research shows that excessive screen time and fragmented attention are linked to increased stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction. When our days are constantly interrupted by notifications and the lure of digital content, we lose the ability to be present, engage deeply, and experience the joy of truly immersive experiences.

Resolutions for Regaining Control of Your Focus

Here are some practical and intentional resolutions to help reclaim your attention and improve your quality of life:

1. Set Digital Boundaries

Commit to creating a healthier relationship with technology. Use tools like screen time trackers or app blockers to limit distractions. For example, set specific times to check emails and social media instead of grazing on them throughout the day. Turn off unnecessary notifications to reduce interruptions and regain mental clarity. You can even change the color of your phone to greyscale to make it less attractive. I will be changing the color and setting 10 minute limits for social media and news on my iPhone.

2. Prioritize Real-Life Connections

Make a conscious effort to prioritize in-person interactions over digital ones. Plan regular meetups with friends or family and keep your phone out of reach during these moments. The quality of your relationships can improve significantly when you give people your undivided attention. These do not have to be incremental to your life if your already have a busy schedule. However, it does mean making the time more intentional by engaging with those around you rather than scrolling through your phone.

3. Create Tech-Free Zones

Designate areas of your home as technology-free spaces. For instance, keep phones and tablets out of the bedroom to improve sleep quality, or establish device-free dinners to enhance family bonding. We have had a no-phones rule at dinner time for years. It’s easier said than done, as simple things like looking up the weather for tomorrow can come up in conversation, but you can see someone’s presence fallout of the room when they check for an answer, but get pulled away by other apps.

4. Rediscover Hobbies and Passions

Replace passive scrolling with activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. I often hear people say they don’t have the time for themselves, their hobbies and their passions. If you’re one of these people, I would ask you to take a hard look in the mirror. If you are spending more than an hour on your phone or watching TV, you have the time to pursue something more meaningful. Whether it’s learning a new instrument, gardening, or joining a local sports club, engaging in hobbies helps you reconnect with your passions and feel more accomplished. These skills and activities compound your sense of well-being overtime in a way social media never will.

5. Audit Your Digital Diet

Evaluate the content you consume and its impact on your mood and mindset. Unfollow accounts that make you feel anxious or inadequate, and instead, follow those that inspire, educate, or uplift you. Be selective about what deserves your attention.

This is a huge one for me. The 2024 election cycle was heated and reinforced a number of echo-chambers I was already a part of. I have deeply held convictions about how we should move our country forward, but I don’t need to know or engages with the outrage de jour that the news channels want to serve me. I have unfollowed the bulk of political commentary. If there are accounts, pages or channels you engage with regularly that raise your blood pressure, I encourage you to do the same.

The Reward of Reclaimed Focus

By taking control of your focus, I hope to discover more time, energy, and mental clarity to pursue what truly matters. In joining me, you’ll build habits that nurture happiness, productivity, and deeper relationships, transforming how you experience daily life. We are blessed with the freedom to choose to pay attention to. Actively seeking out the good in life leads to exponentially better results for yourself and the communities around you.

As you think about setting a New Year’s resolution, consider this: attention is the foundation of a fulfilling life. Choose to spend it wisely.

Political divisiveness is the most critical issue of our time. The polarization between different political factions has reached a breaking point. It is increasingly difficult to find common ground between opposing viewpoints, not only around a solution to any give issue, but around what issues even exist and the sources of facts upon which to base a decision.

This divisiveness has led to a range of negative consequences, including gridlock in the political process, social unrest, and an erosion of trust in democratic institutions. We must find a way to end political divisiveness and bring people together for the greater good.

One of the most effective ways to end political divisiveness is to promote empathy and understanding between different groups. This means actively seeking out opportunities to engage with those who hold different political views and trying to understand their perspective. By listening to others and considering their point of view, we can begin to see the world through their eyes and develop a deeper understanding of their concerns and motivations. This can lead to greater empathy and a more collaborative approach to problem-solving.

Another important way to end political divisiveness is to encourage open and honest dialogue. This means creating safe spaces where people can express their opinions without fear of being attacked or ridiculed. It also means being willing to listen to and engage with those who hold different views. When we can have constructive conversations about politics, we can begin to break down barriers and find common ground.

Another effective approach to ending political divisiveness is to focus on shared values and priorities. While there may be differences in opinion on specific policy issues, there are often shared values that can serve as a foundation for collaboration. For example, most people value freedom, security, and prosperity, regardless of their political affiliation. By focusing on these shared values and working together to find solutions that promote them, we can bridge political divides and work towards a common goal.

Education is also a powerful tool for ending political divisiveness. By promoting critical thinking and media literacy, we can help people to understand and evaluate different sources of information. This can help to counter the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories, which often fuel political divisiveness. Additionally, education can promote a greater understanding of the complexities of political issues, which can lead to more informed and nuanced discussions.

Another approach is to encourage political leaders to take a more collaborative and bipartisan approach. This means seeking out opportunities to work across party lines and finding common ground on issues that affect all Americans. When leaders are willing to put aside their differences and work together, they can model the kind of collaboration that is needed to overcome political divisiveness.

Finally, it is important to recognize the role that social media plays in political divisiveness. Social media algorithms often promote content that reinforces our existing beliefs and biases, which can lead to a narrow and polarized perspective on political issues. By being mindful of our social media use and actively seeking out diverse perspectives, we can begin to break down these echo chambers and engage with a wider range of opinions.

Political divisiveness is a major challenge in our world, but we have the collective ability to address it. By promoting empathy and understanding, encouraging open and honest dialogue, focusing on shared values, promoting education, encouraging bipartisan collaboration, and being mindful of social media use, we can begin to bridge political divides and work towards a more collaborative and inclusive society. Ultimately, it is up to all of us to take responsibility for ending political divisiveness and promoting greater unity and understanding.

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