November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
November 1, 2024
Evaluating and Improving Focus
The thesis of The Focused Faith is that the abundant life is found in pursuing with all our being the disciplines found in the Bible such as solitude, prayer, and meditation. Through these disciplines we learn who we are in our Creator’s eyes and, therefore, the meaning of our existence. It is only then that we are empowered to reject the trinkets of the culture’s digital pleasures and confidently replace the time we previously used for the mindless pursuit of pleasure with tasks that create meaning in our life. This book is a journey. In any journey, we must have a clear understanding of both our destination and our starting point. To that end, I invite you to take a moment to honestly examine your starting point by taking the Smartphone Addiction Scale (https://www.healthyscreens.com/scale). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS)[i] is a widely used tool designed to assess the risk of smartphone addiction. It has been validated through several studies, showing good reliability and construct validity. The scale typically measures various dimensions such as daily-life disturbance, positive anticipation, withdrawal, and tolerance, which are characteristic of behavioral addictions.
Now that you have an objective baseline for your smartphone use, take some time to develop a plan to become more focused. Manoush Zomorodi compares the process to parenting in her book Bored and Brilliant:[ii]
Smartphones behave like a four-year-old child. If you let kids run wild, then they learn that it’s perfectly okay to do that. But as parents, we can teach our kids better rules. Likewise, we can teach our smartphones better rules. We can turn them from devices that constantly interrupt us into devices that protect our attention. Let’s use the word “purposeful.” As a society, we have decided—much like our beloved devices—it’s either on or off. You know, the parents who don’t let their kids have any screen time versus those who believe kids should have unlimited access to Minecraft because it’s creative. Distraction doesn’t come from devices. It is an internal problem. If the problem is internal, that means no matter how fast technology is moving around us, the solution lies inside us.
Author Cal Newport reminds us that adopting the Amish mindset towards technology can be a valuable asset at this stage.[iii] The Amish community is known for its deliberate approach to technology, which emphasizes tools that enhance their way of life without compromising their values. For instance, they may use a hand-cranked washing machine but avoid electric ones to maintain simplicity and independence from the world. They prioritize technologies that promote community, simplicity, and sustainability. In exchange, they reject those that negatively impact their faith, social bonds, or introduce unnecessary complexity. This intentionality in tool selection ensures that the benefits of technology outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Just as the Amish carefully select which technologies to integrate, we can choose apps that genuinely enhance our lives. This involves evaluating whether an app contributes to long-term goals and well-being rather than providing fleeting satisfaction. Newport has labeled this perspective as a philosophy of life called “Digital Minimalism.”[iv] This philosophy provides a valuable framework for determining how to reintroduce a digital technology back into your life. It consists of three tests. The technology must first serve something you deeply value. Like the Amish mindset, simply offering some benefit is not enough. Second, it must be the best way to use technology to serve this value. Third, its role in your life must be bound by a standard operating procedure that specifies when and how you use it.
References
[i] Min Kwon, et al., “The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents,” PLOS ONE8, no. 12 (December 31, 2013): e83558, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
[ii] Manoush Zomorodi, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self (St. Martin’s Press, 2017).
[iii] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
[iv] Newport, Digital Minimalism.
October 14, 2024
Why You Should Be Bored
C. S. Lewis said, “My morning thoughts are like a thousand wild animals” clamoring for attention.[i]Attentiveness is one of the most difficult concepts to grasp but one of the most valuable to learn. As distractible people living in a very distracting world, Lewis’s metaphor captures the challenge many of us face in our spiritual lives: Our technology, our own thoughts, and the world around us all compete for our attention from the moment we wake.
Our prayer lives are not immune from distractions in our lives. Think about the last time you had a very intense and powerful moment of prayer, when you clearly felt and heard from God. For the vast majority of us, it has become increasingly rare.
I invite you to relearn to pray by studying the three varieties of attention: focused, rote, and boredom. Each of these plays a critical role in connecting us with God and fosters a spiritual depth that our digital world easily disrupts. What our machines were meant to do in productivity and entertainment has also, as an unintended casualty, taken away the ability to pay sustained attention. Douglas Steere, the quaker teacher, writes that prayer consists of attentiveness, and sin is “anything that destroys this attention.”[ii] Even the word “attention” is closely related to the French word attendre, which means “to wait.”[iii] We know, intuitively, to engage deeply with God, we need to tame our wild thoughts. Learning to develop our attention is, in essence, learning to become available. It is a willingness to listen to God’s voice and obey His calling on our lives. Join me as we, along with Lewis, learn how to daily develop the ability to tame our thoughts and the thousand “wild animals” clamoring for attention.
Three Types of Attention
While many of us tend to think of attention solely in terms of focused concentration, there are actually multiple forms of attention that play significant roles in our daily lives. Understanding these different types of attention is crucial, as each serves a unique purpose and contributes to our overall mental and spiritual well-being.
Focused attentionis typically what most people think of when discussing this topic. This type of attention is a valuable resource that has limits and needs to be replenished on a regular basis. Rote attention, like the kind we use playing a simple video game, washing dishes, knitting, or even taking a coffee break, serves a valuable purpose as a means to refuel the resources needed in focused attention. Even boredom, as we will see below, is valuable. A balanced approach to attention involves recognizing the value of boredom, focused attention, and rote attention; incorporating each into our lives in a healthy way.
Boredom
Boredom is defined as an unpleasant emotional state in which the individual feels a pervasive lack of interest and difficulty concentrating on the current activity.[iv]Psychologically, boredom is a signal that our current situation is not fulfilling our need for engagement and stimulation. In today’s rapidly moving, technology-focused society, boredom is often viewed as something to be avoided at all costs. With technology offering limitless distractions—from social media to streaming services—every possible free moment of our day can be filled. Although these distractions can temporarily relieve boredom, they may also prevent us from participating in more meaningful activities that require deeper reflection and effort. Despite its negative reputation, boredom has several positive aspects that can act as a powerful catalyst for change and personal development.
Catalyst for Creativity
Boredom can be the birthplace for creativity. When our minds are not focused on specific tasks, our thoughts wander and develop connections in other areas of life, leading to a creative state of mind. Many great works of art, literature, and scientific discoveries have been born out of periods of boredom. The renowned physicist Richard Feynman developed some of his most innovative ideas while doodling and during bouts of boredom.[v]Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, which laid the groundwork for much of modern theoretical physics, Feynman described how boredom leads to innovation in three ways: First, in daydreaming, Feynman found that as his mind wandered, new ideas and insights appeared. The relaxation of mind or openness to unstructured thought was for Feynman the process of creative problem-solving. Second, Feynman was dedicated to curiosity-driven exploration as he pursued very strange interests, purely for their own sake—safe-cracking or playing the bongo drums. These odd and diverse interests in no small measure enriched his life and also gave him some insights to bring back to his work on physics. Finally, Feynman valued unstructured time where he wasn’t working on anything in particular that had to come out some way. It was this time that allowed him to make those weird connections between things and reflect at a deep level.
Trigger for Self-Reflection
Boredom provides an opportunity for introspection and daydreaming. When we are not distracted by external stimuli, we can turn our attention inward and reflect on our goals, values, and desires. This self-reflection can lead to greater self-awareness and to spiritual and personal growth. Think of daydreaming as an internal superpower. In all other forms of cognition, we experience and understand our world from the outside in. Daydreaming allows us to understand the world from the inside out, tapping into who we are, our interactions, memories, and future possibilities.
We can learn a lot from those who have dedicated their lives to the boredom superpower. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of all time, was a big believer in deep reflection, saying, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with the problems longer.”[vi] Mother Teresa valued the silence that can accompany boredom. She believed that it is only in those silent moments in life, far from clamor and commotion, that a person can really meet God and find His love and peace. She speaks of how silence becomes a condition for prayer and spiritual growth, saying, “In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”[vii]
Prompt for New Interests
Boredom often drives us to seek out new activities and interests. It can push us out of our comfort zones and encourage us to explore new hobbies, skills, and experiences. Many people have discovered new passions, such as learning a musical instrument or picking up a new sport, as a result of feeling bored and seeking something new to engage their minds. Boredom can be the “check engine” light in our lives that warns us we are not doing what we want to be doing and pushes us to take a new direction. As Christians, the periods of solitude and stillness we often find ourselves in when we’re bored are critical as we learn to be still (Psalm 46:10) and wait on hearing from God (Isaiah 40:31).
[i] Lewis, Mere Christianity.
[ii] Douglas Van Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002).
[iii] “Attention | Etymology of Attention by Etymonline,” accessed August 7, 2024, https://www.etymonline.com/word/attention.
[iv] John D. Eastwood, et al., “The Unengaged Mind: Defining Boredom in Terms of Attention,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, no. 5 (2012): 482–95.
[v] Richard P. Feynman, “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character (W. W. Norton & Company, 2010).
[vi] Albert Einstein, “It’s Not That I’m So Smart, It’s Just That I Stay with Problems Longer,” The Foundation for a Better Life, accessed August 8, 2024, https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/5053-albert-einstein.
[vii] Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (New World Library, 1997).
September 2025
The Cost of Your Distraction
Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
–Hebrews 12:1
The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.
–Sun Tzu
Though I know there will be no sadness in heaven, I do wonder sometimes if there will be any sense of regret when we one day learn of the opportunities we could have pursued but, instead, blindly followed our distractions. I would like to share a profound true story with you about my great, great grandfather that succumbed to the distractions of his day. The amazing thing is that it is highly likely your life has been directly impacted by my great grandad’s decisions too.
His name was William H. Bovee and, in 1848, he came to San Francisco. Prior to the move, he came west from New York where he had a successful business roasting coffee but lost it due to a fire. Upon arriving in San Francisco, William, aged twenty-seven, found a young protégé, age fourteen, to help him build up his coffee business again. The coffee business became wildly successful as the two became among the very first to offer pre-roasted beans in tins to the thousands of men heading to the hills to find gold. In 1850, William named his company the Pioneer Steam Coffee and Spice Mills. Then, in 1859 William made his tragic mistake: he sold the business to his protégé to follow the masses and strike it rich finding gold. In the end, William lost his fortune accumulated in the coffee business of $250,000 in the hills of the gold country. I did the math on that number and it equates to losing approximately $8.5 million dollars in today’s world.
The distraction of William’s day was that there was a better life to be found in the hills. I sometimes wonder if my life would be different today had he been able to remain focused on the abundant life God had given him in the coffee business. Why? I guess I forgot to mention his protégé’s name: Jim Folger. Yes, the founder of what is now known as Folger’s coffee.[i]
Problem with the traditional detox
In my research, the most typical method for attempting to deal with our distraction in the digital world is through a digital detox. Though a detox can be valuable there are several significant limitations that I have personally experienced and have found in the research. First, let’s look at the research. In a systematic review of major studies employing a digital detox, the authors found that a) a detox does result in decreased use of your smartphone usage which, to me, is to be expected, and b) the detox resulted in decreased depression levels. All other findings from the studies employing a digital detox were not conclusive.[ii] In short, the research shows we still don’t really know the effectiveness of this method largely because the rules in which a detox are performed (i.e. length of the detox, extent of the detox, etc.) are varied. Other than decreased depression levels, there is no evidence that the digital detox, by itself, will result in any long-term positive effects such as reduced distractions, reduced usage of your phone long term, or improved attention.
The traditional digital detox
Personally, like so many of you, I have attempted multiple digital detoxes of my own in an effort to develop better focus and attempt to resolve the feeling of being addicted to my device. The typical detox allocates a period of time, such as twenty-four hours or up to thirty days, to remove yourself from your device or the aspects of your device that result in you becoming distracted. After the detox, you are then allowed to use your phone again but, hopefully, using more discretion as a result of fasting from your device. In the end, the results of these experiments left me feeling bored, irritable, and lonely as I struggled with how to fill the void of time previously filled with whatever was on my phone. While there were short term gains in reducing my overall screentime, it seemed that I would quickly pick up my old habits and, long term, the detox had little effect.
New Method
For all these reasons, I would like to propose a unique method for the digital detox based on the research and my personal experiences that I believe results in improved focus and a life filled with more satisfaction. The key distinction in this method is that, before the digital detox even begins, you embrace focus demanding and meaningful tasks in your life. In other words, before you remove the digital distractions from your life, you identify the tasks that will demand your full attention and fill the vacuum of time left that you previously allocated to your device.
There are three steps to ensure you successfully unplug from pointless distractions AND reallocate that time to tasks that demand your complete focus:
1. Plan the detox.
2. Implement the detox.
3. Reintroduce tech with added friction.
[i] “Folgers® Coffee History | Folgers®,” accessed August 13, 2024, https://www.folgerscoffee.com/history.
[ii] Theda Radtke et al., “Digital Detox: An Effective Solution in the Smartphone Era? A Systematic Literature Review,” Mobile Media & Communication 10, no. 2 (May 1, 2022): 190–215, https://doi.org/10.1177/20501579211028647.