Why you need Digital Fasting in your life?
In an earlier blog I wrote about the brain evolution and the challenges it is facing in the 21st Century digital world. Last week, I provided some practical tips on improving your focus & concentration levels to cope with the overload of information.
This week, I am going to elaborate on the second frenemy of the brain: Dopamine.
Overdose of Dopamine: No downtime
When we started driving cars, we reduced walking. When we got TVs in our houses, we stopped reading. When we bought a microwave, we cooked less fresh meals.
Technology has always been a friend and a foe. Our latest friend (or foe) is a smartphone. According to Newzoo’s Global Market Report on smartphone devices, there are more than 3.2 billion smartphone users in the world with the UK, Germany and U.S.A taking top spots for highest smartphone penetration (UK: 82.9%, Germany: 79.9% and U.S.A: 79.1%).
Because of smartphones and excellent connectivity in most countries now, we are always online. We don’t say “brb” anymore, do we? Whether we are instantly replying to work-related emails or responding to an instagram comment, we are connected to the internet 24-7 and are hooked to our digital life.
Let’s examine what happens inside the brain when we are hooked to our digital devices. With every like, comment, WhatsApp message we get hit with a bucket load of dopamine and eventually get stuck in a positive feedback loop (see image below). And dopamine plays a huge role in this vicious cycle.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is produced in the brain when we experience pleasure. This is why dopamine is also referred to as the “feel good” chemical. fMRI scans of people who use smartphones and social media excessively show similar impairment of brain regions as those people who are addicted to drugs. Specifically, there is a clear degradation of white matter in the prefrontal cortex that is responsible for attention, focus, and rational thinking.
Now, here is the biggest downside of constant dopamine kicks: Because social media provides instant rewards with very little effort, the brain gets rewired and craves for more of this neurological excitement after each interaction. Afterall, what gets rewarded, gets repeated. The result? We get addicted. We are always online with little to no time for the brain to disconnect from the grid.
Why is downtime from digital activities important for the brain?
When we workout in the gym, we create microscopic tears in the muscles and use up the stored glycogen, which is a form of carbohydrate. When we rest, cells called fibroblasts repair the tears and help the muscle grow and become stronger. The rest period also allows the body to replinish glycogen before the next gym session.
Our brain works exactly like a muscle. To ensure high productivity and good brain health, downtime from the digital world is crucial for the brain. In my videocast series, Secrets of Greatness, English Test Cricketer, Keaton Jennings and the Digital Innovation Lead at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Debashree Dasgupta, spoke about the importance of downtime to improve performance.
Keaton experienced a downfall in his performance that resulted in him getting the axe from the English cricket team. He attributed the downfall to the lack of mental strategies to cope with the increasing pressure from constantly reading fans and experts criticising him and his skills on Twitter.
Luckily for him he was able to surgically remove the cancer of social media from his life and replace it with family time and education. He enrolled himself at a University to pursue a part-time business degree online.
After a long day of training at the cricket ground, Keaton would allow his mind to decompress by spending time with the family and reading strategy books for his business degree, instead of mindless scrolling on Twitter.
As a result, he said, he felt more energized waking up everyday for his cricket training and in a much happier state of mind. Eventually after a year of building good habits and breaking the bad ones, Keaton found his way back into the English cricket team.
On the other hand, my dear friend, Debashree, advises everyone to block off thirty (30) to sixty (60) minutes of non-negotiable time in their calendars everyday to disconnect from their devices and engage in a non-digital hobby such as reading, writing, painting, dancing or even having face-to-face conversations with a friend or family member to allow the brain to recharge.
GOAL SETTING EXERCISE:
How much time are you spending on your smartphone daily? Every iOS and Android device tracks this number. Write this down & share with us in the comments below.
Set yourself a new goal for this number. Try reducing it by at least 30 to 60 minutes. Share your new target with us in the comments below.
What new non-digital activities are you going to do during the extra 30 to 60 minutes? Share your ideas with us in the comments section below.
Connect with me to arrange a Complimentary Mindset Coaching Session & learn to develop non-cognitive skills. Train your brain to develop a Growth Mindset for better career & brighter future.
All the best!