Intro
After working closely with Walden by Henry David Thoreau for the better part of this semester, I’ve been doing a lot of self-reflection. One area in particular that I have reflected on is my attention. Specifically, what I choose to pay attention to and what takes my attention unintentionally. Even in the 1800’s, Thoreau warned readers about the advancements of technology stealing our attention from what truly matters. I always knew the digital world took up a lot of my attention, but it wasn’t until paying super close attention to my habits this past week that I realized just how much of it it actually takes up.
Data
One area where I already knew my attention was compromised was in the classroom. I try to pay attention, and some days are better than others, but the moment I get bored or see that I have a text, I pull out my phone. What I didn’t realize, though, was how often I do this per class. So, I decided to take note of every time I pick up my phone during class… and the data shocked me.
Every day (apart from Friday, when I only have class), I have two classes that are about an hour and fifteen minutes long. After averaging my data, I found that I pick up my phone about twenty-one times per day of classes. I also kept track of which app I tend to go on, and it was almost always Snapchat. I also noticed a trend that I pick up my phone more in my classes on Mondays and Wednesdays than I do on other days of the week. This is likely because that my second class on Tuesdays and Thursdays doesn’t allow phones to be out. Then, on Fridays, I only have one class, so there’s simply less time.
Realization
After seeing just how often I check my phone during class, I started paying attention to what actually leads me to pick it up. I soon realized that most of the time, I don’t even do it for a specific reason. Yes, sometimes I see a notification and check it because of that, but the majority of the time, I just pick it up out of habit. It’s almost like I expect something to be there to entertain me. Also, these “quick checks” quickly turn into falling down a rabbit hole of scrolling and missing parts of the lecture.
Analysis
In reflection of what William James says about how our experience is about what we “agree to attend to”, I originally thought that my phone was something I chose to give my attention to. But after this realization, I feel as though it is more of a reaction than a decision. My boredom in class feels like something that can instantly be “fixed” by the apps on my phone, since they constantly offer notifications and distractions. Instead of completely “living my life” based on what I want to focus on, my experience is constantly being interrupted and shaped by these small, digital distractions.
Connection/Reflection
This connects to Thoreau’s warning that new technologies can act as “pretty toys” that distract us from more meaningful things. In my case, my phone is something that repeatedly pulls me away from being fully present, especially in situations where my attention should be focused elsewhere, like class. What stood out to me is that this distraction doesn’t feel extreme in the moment, but when I look at it over time, it adds up in a way that clearly impacts how I spend my time and what I actually take in.
After noticing all of this, I would like to say that I’m going to completely change my habits, but realistically, I don’t think that will happen right away. However, I do think that being aware of how often I am pulled away from what I’m doing is a step toward having more control over my attention. Even just recognizing that these distractions are not always a conscious choice makes me more aware of when it’s happening. Moving forward, I think I’ll at least be more intentional about when I allow myself to get distracted, rather than letting it happen automatically.
Note: I used ChatGPT to help structure this post and improve clarity, but the ideas and reflections are my own.