Is your technology induced ADHD thwarting your mental wellness?

Research shows that it is very beneficial to slow down, disengage from our constant connection with technology, and strengthen our creativity and goal achievement by taking a break from our devices. 
Sarah Hohmann and I discuss our challenges with harnessing our use of technology. 
For example, our first thing in the morning can be to start with 20 to 30 minutes of quiet time. Learn more how this practice allows you to refresh your mental wellness. As a result, you will (re-)discover your voice and sanity.

You'r listening to YOUR Mental Wellness podcast for YOUR voice and sanity.

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Tools for Vitality: Therapy, Coaching, Optimizing Nutrition and Movement for Mental Wellness

Transcript

Sibylle Georgianna: 0:12

Hi there, I am so excited that today, I get to pick Sarah Homans brain again, one of my Sherpas to do live with, I feel it's always so much I can, you know, basically receive in from just chatting a little. So as life seems to just progress at a very fast speed these days. How are you doing, Sarah?

Sarah Hohmann: 0:37

Hey, smells nice talk with you. I'm doing pretty well, these days, I feel like I've been getting into a lot of good habits, you know, the start of the year? Well, now we're a few months in but still still going strong with those habits? That about, you know,

Sibylle Georgianna: 0:55

well. I'm trying to you know, I had to kind of decide at some point in my life, I have to do like a daily ignore, like a daily habit. Coming up with the goal, because I can easily get so easily be sidetracked or just stuff comes up? Well, I've been trying to be mindful of my habits more like on a day by day basis. But to catch me up, but you've been making up your mind for because I think that that could be very, very beneficial for me to to hear about that. And also, for, you know, everybody who joins us here.

Sarah Hohmann: 1:34

Oh, yeah, absolutely. So recently, I know I talked a lot about this during our previous talks, but I've been trying to get more into doing morning meditation. And it's because a lot of the time when I wake up, I immediately my brain starts writing down the to do list of everything that needs to be done. It's sort of like when you wake up and you get all these text messages of people you need to answer to and, and just like, oh, you need to do laundry today, you need to pay bills today, you need to do this, and this. And I've been trying to take a few deep breaths, because I know it happens that I know they naturally it's inevitable, it comes by. So I just take a few deep breaths. And I say, I can let this go for now. And just sit with a clear head for a few minutes and maybe do like guided meditation to start my day. And from there, it kind of sets the mood sets the tone for my day. And then afterwards, I can say, alright, now I can handle these tasks, I can get up and I can write them down and sort of prioritize what needs to be done for which day or, you know, if it's media attention, or it can be done in the next few days, all of that. And it kind of reassures myself, that it doesn't need to be done all at once, immediately, at this very second, like my brain was telling me to do this morning. You know,

Sibylle Georgianna: 3:09

I call it my work induced ADHD, I don't even know, we'll be more like technology induced ADHD where the minute we wake up, we're on you know, it's there is yes, it's just so easy to be, you know, even if you use the alarm from the phone, which I don't for that reason, you know, I am usually storing my work stuff in my work area. So I am not in that immediate trigger of, you know, attention deficit. So I that's very wonderful practice. And I noticed that for myself as well. If I don't do any meditative activity, right at the beginning of the day, my day is much harder. Yeah, I may have a very hard time having the energy to you know, do it at a later time. So for me, it's, even if I'm not fully awake, you know, that time of the day is just so golden to slow things down and get the get the day configured the right way. So I'm with you. And even the fact that you bring this back up is fantastic. I don't think you should ever not talk about this because it's so easy that the days of the new year, kind of go one after the other, there's always one new thing to attend to. There's always maybe even one intense thing that comes by very frequently. So I feel easily just like going with the flow and not being as structured around my time as it might be a beneficiary. So as you find yourself with that meditative effort in the morning, you'll find is then better or easier or more off in your day.

Sarah Hohmann: 5:01

I feel like I once I meditated, I feel like I'm a kind of in a mindset have called, I think that that's the foundation. If I had to put a word on it, I think it's called. Because I know my work day can get a little hectic. I'm a server at the moment. So that can be very hectic during the weekends. And especially when I get into work, there's a few hundreds of things I need to do. But I can just ground myself, like I did in the morning, just a few deep breaths and say, Okay, I can handle this, I can structure my tasks in the following way. And some things need more attention than others. And sometimes I'll just need to, you know, put some things aside and just remember it for later. And I think I'm more forgiving of myself, too. I think that's definitely something that I guess that's, yeah, yeah. It's something that we don't really think about. But we do make mistakes as humans, you know. But I feel like when I do meditate, I feel like I'm a lot more forgiving of myself when things when mistakes happen, like, hey, you know what, that's okay. Because tomorrow's a new day.

Sibylle Georgianna: 6:23

That's right. The nice thing about that, being in the present moment, yes, data time, in life, and not either ahead, or in the past. And, yeah, that's so beautiful with that, with that grace towards yourself with that gentleness towards yourself. And I can totally see that I want to pay attention to that in my life, if that will be the case, as well, I know, if I have to rush in the mornings, then I you know, have a harder time with with the gratefulness or with the forgiveness piece. But, yeah, that will be very interesting to link it also to meditation. So for me a lot of times that meditation and gratitude go hand in hand. So really kind of configure my day, more as an act of gratitude as maybe with service to others, and less, you know, just focused on kind of barely getting by, or, yeah, that is, you know, with, I do even believe with the way how technology and media and, and the world is kind of set us up towards us, it is very easy, for me at least, to just be in a flow of some, you know, trajectory, whatever comes my way from these devices. Instead of feeling that I'm really in the driver's seat as to how I want my day to go, how I want the week to go. And I do think the meditation helps a lot with getting in the driver's seat in the morning, you know, reminding myself of the bigger picture of life and so forth. Yeah, well, that is so, so beautiful to hear, and inspirational as well. As I feel sometimes even reaching out to people or talking with friends or talking with people, I mostly am concerned about how they are doing how their families are doing. Oh, yeah, you know, so it's always such a focus maybe on others, and, you know, establishing well being helping others with that, that, that focus and that ability to, you know, strengthen what we have to say or what we get to be a best at. Yeah, contribute in that sometimes. You know, I feel I set that aside easily. So let's see if we think about you know, as this all is all about sanity and wellness, and is there anything since you are like the bigger picture and the longer Bongo gold, something that you would want to use this year for for voicing or for using your voice? Is there any topic that you have in mind? I'm just curious,

Sarah Hohmann: 9:10

using my voice, how do you how do you mean?

Sibylle Georgianna: 9:14

Well, I think sometimes when we are maybe passionate about something more even we notice certain things. And let's see the thing with a time management. So if you notice, I don't know how that is set up at your work. But if if you know you notice, let's say the supervisor is supportive and it works out that you would maybe comment on that in a favorable way. So you know, using your voice, but also if there is a thing you're passionate about and you feel it doesn't get enough attention that you would use what your convictions are and what your values are to express so I'm just curious about like, is there anything coming to mind with this?

Sarah Hohmann: 10:01

You know what, I think there is something that that does come to mind. And thank you for clarifying, of course. Um, I think when I'm at work. It's a very stressful environment, but I choose to actively as, as sometimes it may be hard, but I choose to actively be as positive and encouraging as I can be, especially with people, my co workers, the people I serve, and my managers, and I feel like it really does make a difference. Um, there's, there's a few examples throughout the day where, you know, sometimes things get frustrating or things don't go my way. And I'm like, You know what, that's okay. Like, I know that I can learn and make this a positive situation, like, instead of complaining to my co workers about it, like, you know what, I don't usually complain. But sometimes something happens, bla bla, bla bla, but I'm choosing to look at it positively. And I'm going to give my best energy in the situation. And they're really surprised, like, wow, you know, if that happened to me, I'd be upset and angry. But I, I think I have a positive influence on the people that I work with. And by doing that, they also it's sort of models to them, of how they can do the same way. And, you know, make them feel better about certain situations. And even like my manager, too, because he'll see sometimes, that my guess, when the situations at work get like, a little tough, and, you know, a lot of things get overwhelming. He sees people who will act positively towards it, like me, and people act negatively towards it. And he talks with people who act negatively towards it, he was like, you know, you need to have a positive manner. You know, there are certain employees here that come with a positive energy, I think you can bring that to, you know, it kind of models to them as well. I think I can continue doing that more. Hopefully. Danna answers your question. That's, I

Sibylle Georgianna: 12:11

think, is a perfect answer. Because it doesn't necessarily just mean that you're, you're voicing yourself, or you're having on social media or something. But I just to to have that influence of what you stand for what you want to contribute. Yeah. And it's beautiful that it's being noticed. So that's, that's great.

Sarah Hohmann: 12:32

Yeah, like, I'm genuine. Yes. And this is me personally, inside and outside of work a positive, you know, influential, nice person, you know.

Sibylle Georgianna: 12:44

And I think that's very well said, because that's one of those features that then, you know, can create that engagement at work that can create a meal over, let's say, even if we think about all the things where, you know, there might be different opinions to, to pour some reconciliation and glue and into situations that may feel dicey or difficult. And, you know, I think that is so much, right, we think voice, we don't have to think about a spokesperson, we can just think of having those actions speak louder than words if we came up with something fancy. So that's so so inspiration to me. So, really, I would love to check in again with you to see how things progressed, and how you feel. Those new weeks ahead, right, in a new year, we get like always a fresh start. Just how that unfolds for you. So is there something that you're having that you want to like set as a as a little challenge to yourself, and that we could maybe follow up on? And I know, you asked me to start thinking about it already?

Unknown: 14:00

Oh, like, yeah, where you feel you want to go for?

Sarah Hohmann: 14:07

Let's see. I think here's my challenge, because I feel like I don't do this enough. And going back to the morning meditation, a lot of the times, I'm not perfect. I would wake up and you know, have the same, you know, to do list, and then I'd immediately go on my phone and start, you know, playing around them. And then I'd go back to oh, maybe I should meditate and then I meditate. But I think my goal would be as soon as I wake up, I don't touch my phone for an hour and just just sit with my thoughts. And it my cousin does this too. She does. She journals, she doesn't touch your phone for an hour and she writes down whatever she's thinking in a journal, and then you know, have some time for herself. And I think I should you know, I was thinking of all myself in that way, and in giving back some time for me, you know, and then go on my phone and, you know, scroll through, what's the news and stuff? And

Sibylle Georgianna: 15:19

great challenge to set yourself. Yeah. Yeah. And they they see or the research shows that it is very, very, very beneficial to journal tivity and your goal achievement and all that good stuff. So I think that's a great challenge. And that reminded me then I have looked somewhere else I've read somewhere that it is good to have two hours of downtime a day. It was like two hours, that sounds like really a lot. So I've just practice like a smaller chunk. You know, so I'm working towards like more time downtime, and it doesn't mean necessarily beginning of the day and end of the day, but that's usually where I can find it easiest. And so I have tried, and I will, this is a great challenge to be remaining, you know, on the quest for not paying the water bill at 630 in the morning, like, yeah, things that come to mind that where we have to be the most energy to do the uncomfortable stuff. AKA there's yourself leadership again, but to kind of splurge and have the downtime. First, and my thing is, is like to start with, like 20 to 30 minutes of quiet time. Yes, Asian. And that's plenty for me. You know, that's a big goal. But yeah, so I feel inspired to stick with that and to work my way up to maybe even an hour in the morning and an hour at night. I know in the evening. It helps me to not be on devices, and to kind of wind down from my day, unless stimulation so to speak. Yeah, I like that. Brain induced ADHD. So I'm so good. I will stick with that. And then we could touch base and compare notes and, and see how we progress.

Sarah Hohmann: 17:15

Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I'd like to hear you know how this goes.

Sibylle Georgianna: 17:21

Yes. Okay. Fantastic. Well, I'm honored and let's touch base again soon and talk to you then.

Sarah Hohmann: 17:29

Now. Right. Awesome. Thanks for talking with me. I appreciate it.

Unknown: 17:32

Hey, absolutely.

Sibylle Georgianna: 17:34

Thanks for coming along.

Sarah Hohmann: 17:35

Of course I pronounce your bye