Jonathan Haidt

They have to do it because everyone else is doing it, not because you're doing it.

The number one thing that you can do is regain control of your attention.

What I found when I began teaching undergrads is that most of them, not all, but most of them have given up all of their free attention.

If they're in the elevator, they're doing this because that's like 60 seconds, 90 seconds.

They never have a moment to think.

They can't daydream.

They can't meditate.

And so what I start with at the very beginning of the class is let's regain control of your attention.

It's your most precious commodity.

So shut off almost all notifications.

Do not get alerts from any newspaper or magazine or anything else.

You don't need alerts.

Move social media off your phone, onto your computer only, and then eventually maybe even off your computer.

And a lot of them are gaining three to five hours a day.

They're regaining three to five hours a day.

What do they do?

They say, now I can do my homework.

And it's actually not hard anymore.

And I have time to read a book or I have time to talk to a friend or I have time to play guitar.

So regaining control of your attention is where a lot of this starts.