LETTER - Let’s Get Serious
Why our phones are trashing our minds and bodies and what to do about it
So much money is made off our attention, this isn’t new news, we all know this now. Social media alone has 55% of the world engaged and the average person across this spend 70 hours a month on social media. Globally, people average 6 hours and 40 minutes of screen time per day. Americans spend 7 hours and 3 minutes looking at a screen each day. South Africans spend 9 hours and 24 minutes on screen per day Almost half (49%) of 0 to 2-year-olds interact with smartphones. Gen Z averages around 9 hours of screen time per day. So this means, for Gen Z, that is 4.5 MONTHS A YEAR consistently, consecutively on their phones aside from sleeping. That is all of Jan, Feb, March, April, May and half of June non stop staring at a phone. Not at a loved one, not at the world around them. Not on inner reflection and caring for themselves and others.
Content creators are expected to see their revenue through ads, brand deals and sponsorships increase by 20% this year, according to an assessment by WPP Media and this is expected to more than double to $376.6bn (£278.3bn) by 2030. Just five companies accounted for 54% of all revenues last year – Google, Meta, the Tik Tok owner ByteDance, Amazon and Chinese e-commerce outlet Alibaba.
More than ever, we need not only a rebellion against this, we need to defrag our minds and bodies. Meditation is the key. A silent, eyes closed practice where we meet ourselves on a daily basis, no interference from the outside world. We know screen limits don’t work, grey phones are near impossible to exist with and are going to get harder. Meditation as a daily act, not as a one off dabble bandaid, but as a practice, a commitment, can help reduce stress, rewire the brain and take us back into neutral. Is it sexy? Is it about peak experiences? Is it hedonistic? No. But the effects of what we are doing to ourselves need a counter point. A coming home to ourselves more than ever is required if we are going to weather the future. So do this for your future self. Meditate with a fervour, pockets just for you to meet you. You deserve it.
Link 1 and 2.
If you want to learn a mantra based practice - the easiest and simplest for a fragmented body and mind, we have Mindfit as a standalone program you learn then independently practice without any tech, and we also have Integrated Meditation courses in the new year you can see more about HERE. We also have a meditation quiz you can take to discover what might work for you and your lifestyle best here.
If you want to speak to me personally about what meditation could look like for you with The Broad Place you can also email info@thebroadplace.com.au