Social Media and Personal Focus
In the first semester of 2023, I decided to spend a week without a cellphone. The result was extra time, greater presence, and better concentration. However, I went back to using it, justifying that I was on exchange and needed social media to meet people or make plans, that I had to communicate with my friends in Peru who were far away, and that it was my source of information and my window to the world. In the end, I realized I was just making excuses. If you want information, you can actively search for it instead of letting an algorithm decide what you see. The people closest to you have your number and can call you. Ultimately, even though it may sound cold, most people do not really care about us, and as I like to say, if someone truly cares, they will call.
Social media, especially the smartphone, constantly steals focus. When an exercise does not go well or you simply do not feel like continuing a task, it is common to take a "quick look" at Instagram, TikTok, or Shorts, since it is the fastest path your brain has to receive a reward. Without realizing it, far more time passes than planned. This type of content, especially short videos, trains the brain to lose its ability to concentrate, the opposite of what we should be doing. What is worrying is that vertical content of one minute or less is a continuous untraining of focus, and it is becoming normalized. People prefer TikTok summaries or reels instead of taking the time to watch a full video or read an entire article. Even without ever installing TikTok, the problem can reach you through other platforms.
At first, I thought it was all a matter of self control and that I needed to try harder to limit my usage. But over time, I understood that behind these platforms there are entire teams of people whose job is to keep users hooked, bombarding minds with irresistible stimuli. It is an uneven battle; it is like blaming someone for not resisting a drug when the offer is so attractive. In other words, it is an unfair fight: you against a team of PhDs from various disciplines whose entire job is to make you stay longer on their platform.
The reality is that social media is designed to capture attention, and each day it gets better at it. If you want to give your best in what you do, the best strategy is to put distance between yourself and these distractions. The famous phrase "you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with" also applies to the digital world: if your virtual environment is constantly distracted, it will be harder to maintain concentration. Distancing yourself from these digital environments can be key to staying focused and not letting networks dictate your habits, what you buy, what you consume, or what you read.
In my case, I found a solution that worked: setting strict schedules for social media use. I would only check Instagram from my laptop on weekends, minimizing exposure to social media stimuli. However, that solution did not last long. It helped, but it was still not enough friction, at least not for me. Recently, I decided to go further: since October 2, 2024, I have spent two weeks using a keypad phone, a Nokia, searching for a more authentic version of myself and distancing from the constant distraction that smartphones represent. While I now have a smartphone that is useful for travel and capturing certain moments, I try not to use it and move my SIM card to my Nokia. With that, I feel freer, more in control of my decisions, and with more time, while also experiencing fewer interruptions from the outside world.
Today, the effort to stay focused is greater due to the constant presence of social media. In a world where one minute content encourages instant gratification, reprioritizing deep concentration is an act of resistance. Staying away from these platforms is not only a way to reclaim time but also to protect the ability to concentrate deeply. In particular, I worry about this problem especially for children, whose brains are still developing. I firmly believe this is causing tremendous damage to society. I hope in the future to work on something that can help with this problem, which I see growing more and more. For now, I would like to lead by example through certain decisions and writings.
In short, if you aspire to be your best version, minimizing digital distractions is essential. It is not about disconnecting completely but about using technology consciously and not letting it take over your life. The reward of living with greater focus and purpose is worth every effort made to keep social media under control.