The New Normal

Welcome back to Mind by Fire — The other day I was sitting in the breakroom at work eating breakfast without my phone and someone asked me if I was okay.

I said, “Yeah, why?”

They said, “You’re just sitting there looking at the wall.”

In that moment I realized what the new normal is.

Somewhere along the way, we stopped being able to just exist without constant distraction. At a stoplight people check notifications. Walking through a parking lot people stare at their phones. Even a quick wait in line somehow feels like time that needs to be filled.

I realized recently that I fall into this too.

You pick up your phone to check one thing and suddenly you’re somewhere else mentally. A text turns into an email. An email turns into a notification. A notification reminds you of another task. What was supposed to be a quick check turns into a phone session.

And honestly, I didn’t fully notice how much it was affecting me until burnout hit.

Insight

I don’t even think it’s fully the phone anymore.

Work is on screens. Tasks are on screens. Downtime is usually another screen. Even relaxing somehow became consuming more information.

At some point I realized my brain never really got a break anymore.

Too much screen time honestly started giving me headaches from constant input. And after awhile it almost made me feel irresponsible, like my life was slowly being wasted away on a device.

So this week I started doing small things differently because I knew my brain needed a break.

Phone in another room during workouts.
Phone in my pocket during walks instead of in my hand.
Eating without watching something.

I honestly love daily actions that improve quality of life. Creating distance from a phone improves discipline and well being.

And the more I did it, the more I realized how uncomfortable people have become with boredom and silence.

People are addicted to their phones and most don’t even realize it. After awhile, silence starts to feel uncomfortable because the brain gets used to always consuming something.

Reflection

I’m not writing this like I have everything figured out.

I just know my mind feels better when it isn’t constantly consuming something.

The weirdest part is that being present now almost looks abnormal.

Someone literally thought something was wrong because I was sitting quietly eating breakfast without my phone.

That probably says more about where we are than anything else I could write.

So this week I challenge you to create some distance from your phone, even when you’re alone. Be present in the moment. You may realize how much of a relief it is.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.