Attention Pollution

 
What is "attention pollution"?  This term is used by Kevin Eickenberry who believes that attention pollution may well be the most important type of pollution you experience in your lifetime.  We have had articles about environmental pollution, reduce, reuse, recycle,  pollution in our oceans, etc.   He says, “Our attention allows us to think, learn, solve problems, show gratefulness, love, and much more.”   It also allows us to create and recall what our thoughts were to share with others or to record for more in-depth exploration at a later time.  Eikenberry has a short list of what may constitute our attention pollution:
 
*Other people
*Phone calls or text messages
*Music in our surroundings (perhaps streaming from a music service or your personalized playlist)
*television, NetFlix, YouTube, Hulu, etc.
*breaking news/catastrophic event dominating radio, television, apps
*Email
*Cell phone constantly in hand (multitasking!!!)
*Buzzes, beeps, notifications on misc electronic devices
*Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs
*Your favorite apps or video games
*the internet in general
 
*The following is shared from an article on kevineikenberry.com.  The article published on December 7, 2015 entitled “Is Your Attention Polluted/”:
It is clear that the negative personal impacts of attention pollution are at least as dire as the pollution in our air or water. Yet, we seem to largely ignore these, or call these polluters “progress.” I’m neither a technophobe nor an extreme environmentalist. I care about the purity of our air and water, and I care about the purity of my attention too. Of course there are trade-offs that come with some of the industries and situations that are impacting our natural resources – and the same is true with the technologies and advances that are impacting our attention.
The pollution I am describing here is subtler than some trash on the side of the road or an obvious spill in the water. And in most all of these situations you could say these aren’t polluters, but enhancers to our lives. Certainly a distraction of a loved one diverting our attention might not be seen as “pollution.”
 
But not all distractions are created equal; and when the number of and number of sources of distractions grows to the point that we seldom (never?) have time to stop and think about important (or even random) things in our lives, it has long term and unforeseen effects on our life, our health and our success. Let me be direct:
When do you stop and think?
When do you reflect on your day, year, choices or life?
If you don’t like your answers; it’s time to consider what is polluting your attention. And it is time to take responsibility for guarding your attention with the fervor it deserves.
I opened by saying that through a variety of means we have become quite aware of several types of pollution; and that awareness begins to create change. This article is meant to create a new awareness and perhaps some new language for you. Your attention is valuable, and it is polluted.
If you find your attention is polluted more than you’d like, the choices are yours. The “clean up” in your hands.
In our psychology practice (Willowbrook Psychological Associates/Edward A. Charlesworth, Ph. D. and Robin Charlesworth, M.A., L.P.A.), we often hear complaints in family sessions that the kids never put down their cell phones or their electronic games.  Some families have the experience of dad being at work all day only to come home and relax by playing solo video games rather than engaging with his children.  In restaurants, while waiting for a table or even at the table, it is not uncommon to see most if not all at the table with phones in hand rather than establishing eye contact and engaging in conversation to share their thoughts and feelings.  When did everything become URGENT and require our immediate response?   While there are certainly many pluses with the spurious development of technology, it definitely has an impact on quality of family time.  Take a TIME OUT to examine the attention pollution in your family.
 
A person does not have to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to be distracted in a Rotary meeting by a cell phone ringing even after an announcement/reminder has been verbalized at the beginning of the meeting.   Such attention pollution continues to occur in theaters, ballets, symphonies, etc., where there is both a written and verbal reminder to silence the cell phones.  It appears that some folks who are surprised that their phone has rung because no one ever calls them do not even know who to silence their phones but continue to stare at the device and wait for it to go quiet.  Apparently some believe they are entitled to take their phone calls whenever and where ever they happen to presently be.  These same folks sometimes appear to be somewhat deaf because they go ahead and answer their phone with loud voices.  
 
Some businesses have policies to attempt to control the attention pollution.  After all, an employee is expected to work for his salary and not seek out social media during business hours.  Next week we will continue to explore this area and share what some companies are doing to set some limits.  If you would like to contribute some information, either personal thoughts or your own company policy, please share with your attendance report. And, in closing, THAN YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!