The Path to Greater Focus & Less Distraction

                                          Caption: Kimgoyal.com

Over the past few years, I’ve come to understand that all of us are living in a time of great distraction, and reduced focus. Just look around.

Our smartphones inundate us with notifications, both chats from our friends and family, as well as notifications from apps, including games, news and entertainment. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter are ever-present features of so many of our lives. When you head to the gym, airport, or many restaurants, you’ll see a television playing in the background. Most Americans (including yours truly) sleep with their smartphone close by.

We are more connected than ever. Yet, there are serious consequences to our connectivity. Younger adults display a reduced ability to focus, and a lower attention span, compared to older adults, who did not spend as much of their lives using smartphones. Even the mere presence (not usage) of a cell phone, affects our ability to concentrate, and can damage the quality of our social interactions as well.

In order to change this situation, and achieve deeper levels of focus, clarity and concentration, I have tried a variety of tactics. Without further adieu, here is what I’ve learned.

1.Create A Schedule, & Track Your Time

It’s easy for the day to get away from us. Emails rain down on your inbox. Meetings of questionable value are scheduled. Your phone rings. It isn’t always possible to prevent these distractions from occurring. However, you can limit their impact.

Inspired by Cal Newport’s Deep Work, in early 2017, I decided to start planning my day ahead, the day before. I would write down what time I planned to get up, and how I would spend each 20 to 30 minute increment of my day, during my working hours. I would then track, in considerable detail, how I actually spent my time.

This brought a great deal of clarity, to what I was hoping to accomplish, and allowed me to see where my time was going. If I spent too long checking email, or on the phone, I had to make a note of that. Was this an effective use of my time?  If I didn’t complete certain tasks, why was this?

As a result, I cut certain things out of my schedule. For example,I went from checking Facebook daily, to just once per week. I used to view the news a few times during working hours, then in the evenings, and now, just once every three days or so (we’ll talk more about that later).

Did planning ahead, and tracking my schedule, make me more efficient? Definitely. I still have a long ways to go. My schedule during working hours still shows a fair number of times marked “this and that” or “distracted” where I didn’t get much done (although taking breaks is an important part of working well). However, seeing how my time is spent, has allowed me to cut out unnecessary distractions, and achieve greater focus. I am more productive than I have been in a long time.

Of course, creating a schedule doesn’t mean you’ll always stick to it. Other priorities arise during the day, and demand your attention. A schedule isn’t meant to hold you in a vise grip, but rather, to provide you with a well-defined structure, and goals to aspire to. Variations will be required.  

2. Put Your Phone Somewhere Else - And On Silent If Possible

This one has been tougher. In part, since I run my own business, I need to be accessible by phone. At the same time, I recognize that having a smartphone close at hand is a habit - which has proven hard to break.

With that said, I have made some progress. While working, I often make a deliberate effort to put my phone in a location where I can’t easily access it. This forces me to make a conscious choice.

If the phone rings, I know I should probably stand up and get it - this could be a work call, of some urgency. However, if it buzzes or beeps with a text message, I will usually ignore the message, until I have completed a set block of work. This approach isn’t perfect, since my mind is primed to listen for the phone (which in itself is a form of distraction), but it does allow me to maintain greater focus.

3. Limit How Often You Follow News

Entrepreneur and futurist Peter Diamandis warns of the dangers of constantly following the news, describing CNN as the “Crisis News Network.” Diamandis is not saying this from a partisan perspective - it isn’t only CNN he is referring to.

Rather, Diamandis observes, we are wired to pay attention to negative news, and so, by constantly engaging, we shift our focus towards the darker side of things. This is called negativity bias. Following the news obsessively also leads to greater mental clutter and distraction, which can increase levels of anxiety.

I witnessed the effects of this phenomenon in my own life. When I lived in New York, I used to check the news each morning, before leaving for work, several more times during the day, and again after coming home. Both consciously and more subtly, I was impacted by what I read and saw. I felt as if I was reacting to what was happening in the world, instead of being proactive, and getting ahead of what I was exposing myself to.

A few years later, after moving back to Los Angeles, I started to believe that this behavior was having a negative impact on me, so I decided to only follow the news in the evenings, after I had finished all important work for the day.

Even that wasn’t enough. Earlier this year, I chose to limit my deliberate news intake, during weekdays, to just once every four days. This means that,  if I am at the gym or airport, and a television is playing, I often cannot avoid seeing/hearing the news. Yet, on my own, I do my best not to seek it out.

Since I recently implemented this level of news avoidance, I don’t yet know what it’s long-term impact will be. I already feel a greater sense of focus and calm. If you limit intake of a particular type of stimulus, I have found, it reduces the chances it will occupy your brain. I find myself less concerned with what Donald Trump said, or where the US economy is headed. As a result, I am able to focus more on what actually matters.

This process hasn’t always been easy. I had fallen into the habit of consuming content, on a daily basis. When I first decided to reduce my news intake, I’d find myself randomly clicking the New York Times, Bloomberg and other tabs saved at the top of my Google Chrome browser. It was reflexive. Over time, I’ve (somewhat) tempered that response.

4. Meditate In The Morning (Or Evening)

I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family where I learned to meditate early on. However, as an adult, at least through much of my college and law school years, it wasn’t something I actively pursued. Yet, as with so many habits, we sometimes lose track of what we learned, only to return to it later.

In 2013, I began meditating once again. At first, I was lacking in focus, and my mind often wandered. Still, I decided I should persist. I made modest progress, at best, in my feeling a greater sense of calm and focus. Finally, I made use of the most vast informational resource in our world: The Internet.

YouTube is filled with guided meditations, of different lengths, and focused on varied topics. Some stress the power of calm and acceptance, while others focus on affirmations of health, wealth and more. What’s more, the Headspace app features a variety of meditations for different situations and mindsets, and offers the convenience of access on your mobile phone.

From YouTube, I selected meditations which matched the mood I hoped to achieve, to start the day off strong. I would conduct these meditations for 10 minutes each morning, after waking up. Beginning the day this way calms and centers your mind, setting an excellent foundation for the rest of the day.

Starting off your day in a focused manner does not guarantee you won’t be distracted later.  However, it does increase the chances that you’ll be able to maintain focus, and if you get off track, recenter yourself. Maintaining control of your mental state, is crucial to your ultimate success.

5. Reduce How Often You Check Your Email & Social Media

I’ve written before about how reducing consumption of social media made my life better, both in terms of happiness, as well as focus and distraction. Since that time, I’ve reduced my Facebook consumption to just once per week. At least once per year, maybe twice, I will remove the app from my cell phone, along with Instagram, for a month or so, and completely unplug.

My experience has confirmed the findings of researchers, that social media increases levels of anxiety. Instagram, in particular, has been associated with higher feelings of depression and reduced self-esteem. Unplugging offers positive benefits.

Social media also functions as a form of escapism. We let ourselves get lost in what is on Instagram or Facebook or Snapchat, in what other people are doing, seeing, and saying.

In the process, we forget something far more important to focus on: ourselves. Each of us has more important directions, in which to focus our energies. There are people we care about, and goals, ideas and issues which matter to us. We all have a chance to contribute. Allocating attention to that over which we have little influence, doesn’t make much sense.

Email is a trickier issue. While social media has little direct relevance to our lives (outside of entertainment, and living vicariously), email often pertains directly to something we ought to know, or do. Depending on where you work, much of your daily communications are conducted via email, and in many cases, prompt responses are expected.

Personal emails are somewhat less urgent, but that doesn’t stop us from checking them frequently. I chose to allow myself a few minutes to check emails in the morning (typically ten minutes or less), but I was not allowed to check them again until 6 PM. If I needed to access my personal email for some reason, I would cover the screen, search for the exact email I needed to view, and find it. I forced myself to prioritize which emails were worthy of my attention.

This helped me to get my day moving at an even faster pace, and accomplish more during the peak work hours.  I began to feel the effects almost immediately. I saw that I was getting more done in less time, and as if what I was doing mattered. What’s more, I didn’t really fall behind on responding to emails.

6. Develop A Journaling Habit

Several years ago, I started following Benjamin Hardy on Medium. Benjamin is a doctoral candidate in psychology, and writes extensively about personal development, offering numerous strategies to improve one’s life. Amongst the most powerful of these, is forming a daily journaling habit.

Hardy argues for using journaling as a means to “crystalize” your ideas and clarify insights, to review and repeat and affirm your goals, and to develop a deeper sense of gratitude. One of the times Hardy suggests for journaling, is soon after you wake up. Our brains are at or near their peak state.

Another part of Benjamin’s approach, is to write down a question, before you sleep. This could be a problem you want to solve, or a question you’ve been wrestling with. As Hardy explains, your subconscious mind engages with this question overnight. When you wake up, and are in a peak mental state, with your brain is better primed to address these sorts of questions.

Journaling in the morning allows you to face your fears, what you are grateful for, and your goals. My journaling routine begins the night before, when I write down a question, which I want my brain to address in the morning. I’ll also write down the three most important things I would like to accomplish the following day, as well as several of my long-term goals.

In the morning, I spend 4 to 5 minutes reflecting on the questions which I posed to myself, trying to flesh out my deeper thoughts. I write down whatever comes to mind, and attempt to dig one level beneath that, looking for something which I otherwise might not have figured out. Often, this requires asking myself “and what?” or “so what does that mean?”

Reviewing goals for the next day, as well as my long-term plans, also serves several important functions. First, it reminds me of where my energy and attention ought to be directed. As the upcoming day is quite likely to be busy, it is easy to get sidetracked. Being clear on what my objectives are, and where I hope to move my life, both today, as well as in the months and years to come, helps me to keep the big picture in mind, and keep moving forward.

7. Be Kind To Yourself

When we strive to make large changes in our lives, the odds are we will sometimes fall short. There are myriad reasons, and a voluminous body of psychological research, which strives to explain why this happens.

Don’t beat yourself up. I learned this the hard way. When I would fall short on a goal, I would repeatedly chastise myself, and get aggravated for falling short. I’d ask myself what I could have done differently. In one sense, this wasn’t bad. By being critical, and asking where there was room for improvement, I could get better.

At the same time, by speaking to myself negatively, I became somewhat averse to the process of personal growth. In order to break this cycle, and make sure that I was progressing, I stopped chastising myself, and instead affirmed “This happened. You fell short. But you’ll get there. You are going to improve.”

I continued to remind myself of this, even as I repeatedly fell short of goals. Sometimes, I would journal and write about why I fell short, and come up with strategies, which would allow me to perform better in the future. In short, I would acknowledge that I could do better, but I’d also affirm that I was human, and this wasn’t the end of the world.

Conclusion

My grandfather was fond of quoting John Milton’s observation in Paradise Lost: “The mind is in it’s own place, and can make a hell of heaven, and a heaven of hell.” Our minds are amazing machines, but in a world of hyperconnectivity and distraction, it can be hard to center ourselves.

The approaches I’ve discussed above have proven to be quite effective for me. They’ve allowed me to direct my energy towards the things that matter most, and set aside the rest. They’ve put my mind at greater ease, and given me a stronger sense of clarity and purpose.

I have a long ways to go - there is no question about it. However, there has also been considerable progress along the way, and for that, I’m grateful. I can’t emphasize enough, how rewarding this journey of personal progress has been. Give it a try. You’ll be glad that you did.

Personal Statements For College Admissions Should Be Eliminated

                                              Credit: Forbes.com

Each fall, a ritual is repeated across the United States. Millions of us have been through it. Few remember the experience fondly.

I’m referring to the personal statement section of college applications, which is required to obtain admission to most four-year institutions. High school students strive to tell a story which showcases who they are, and what they’ve experienced, overcome and accomplished. They work to stand apart from their peers — each of whom is also aiming to convey uniqueness.

For those who are fortunate, this piece of writing, combined with one’s academic record, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and teacher recommendation letters, will result in admission to the university of their dreams. Of course, having parents or other relatives who attended the university themselves, or donated considerable sums of money to the institution, can be of great help as well.

Each admissions committee has a different view of the significance and value of personal statements. Generally, these essays are viewed as a window into where a prospective student is coming from, and what he or she offers to a university.

However, there are a number of problems with the personal statement process, making it biased and unfair. As an alternative, universities should include a questionnaire which delves deep into a student’s personal experiences, in a more controlled, quantifiable and objective manner.

Personal Statements Increase The Potential For Bias, Unfairly & Arbitrarily Helping Or Hurting Students

The ongoing litigation around the admissions practices of Harvard has drawn considerable attention. Students for Fair Admissions is a legal advocacy group, led by conservative legal activist Edward Blum, a prominent opponentof the use of race in college admissions.

Students for Fair Admissions is suing on behalf of Asian-American applicants who were denied entrance to Harvard, and believe that the university has engaged in discriminatory admissions practices. Amongst other findings, an analysis conducted for the plaintiffs by economist Peter Arcidiacono of Duke University, found that Asian-American applicants were, on average, rated lower on “positive personality” traits, including likability, courage and kindness, than all other ethnic groups. This was particularly surprising, since Asian-Americans who went through alumni interviews, actually scored higher than white applicants.

While Harvard contests Aricidiacono’s research, Students for Fair Admission argues this is just one of many indicators of widespread bias against Asian Americans. They argue that based on criteria like academics and extracurricular activities, far more Asian Americans should have been admitted to Harvard in recent years. Asian-Americans have the lowest acceptance rate of any group of Harvard applicants. Setting aside our individual views of the role race should play in admissions decisions, it appears that something is amiss at Harvard.

Subjective criteria play a large role in earning admission to universities. Recommendation letters, after-school activities, personal statements and interviews, are all examples of this.

It is reasonable for universities to seek a fuller picture of an applicant’s ability to contribute to, and benefit from an institution. Admissions should not be based solely on grades or test scores — long-term success in life certainly isn’t.

Yet, giving undue weight to such information, poses serious risks to the fairness of the process. Personal statements, in particular, are fraught with peril. While a university sets certain parameters for admissions officers, personal preferences and biases are an inescapable reality.

Decades of research has taught us that bias is a fact of human existence, and we are often not aware of the extent of it. Our views are shaped by a variety of social forces, and we regularly engage in flawed patterns of thinking. We are far from fully objective or rational. We have strong personal preferences, which color how we behave. Admissions officers are not immune to these realities.

Suppose an admissions officer reviews an excellent personal statement, detailing how a promising high school lacrosse player overcame obstacles on the field, and what she learned from this experience. Let’s assume this admissions officer holds a subtle belief, not out of malice, but rather simple ignorance, that athletics is not a very worthwhile pursuit.

The admissions officer might give short shrift to the applicant’s essay (again, this may not be done intentionally, or even consciously). This places the applicant at a relative disadvantage for gaining admission, through absolutely no fault of her own.

The reverse is also possible. Perhaps an admissions officer views lacrosse as a better predictor of whether someone will contribute to a university, than participation in the drama club, or volunteering at a local soup kitchen. In this situation, our lacrosse player gains an unfair advantage over others.

Similar biases can manifest against students whose essays engage with questions of how class, race or gender impacted lives. Or, perhaps those who don’t use their writing to demonstrate how they were affected by such issues, might seem blissfully unaware of such concerns. To some admissions officers, they now appear less worthy as an applicant.

This is not speculative. The Wall Street Journal reported on some of the lesser known factors Harvard looks at, in selecting applicants. One was a compelling personal statement — in this case, the example cited was the narrative of a student who wrote about being bullied for his foreign accent. To paraphrase the Harvard official cited“How could you not feel for this kid?”

It it is only natural to feel empathy for someone who was treated so badly. Yet, this statement underscores how what one discusses in a personal statement, and how it connects with a particular reader, can ultimately influence admissions decisions.

The admissions process remains opaque — and universities seem to prefer this status quo. Therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint just how often personal statements impact admissions decisions, and how biases and personal preferences might play a role. Yet, what we are learning about Harvard, and possibly now Yale, tells us that when it comes to fair admissions practices, all is not well.

We must weigh the value of a personal statement, in facilitating a better understanding of an applicant, against the potential for inequitable, arbitrary treatment, or an applicant gaining an unfair advantage, based on the worldview and preferences of who is reading. Eliminating personal statements, as currently structured, is the most realistic way to achieve this goal.

Personal Statements Advantage More Affluent Students

In theory, a personal statement is an opportunity for a student to reflect deeply, and showcase who he or she is. An essay should be honest, personal, and told in an authentic voice.

There is an industry of personal statement coaches and consultants, dedicated to helping prospective college students craft the best essay possible. The price of these coaches vary, from a little as a few hundred dollars, to well into the thousands. Some are former university admissions officers, allowing them to offer students unique insights into the process.

These professionals aren’t necessarily writing essays for students. Rather, they might guide students towards writing a well-crafted essay, one which does a better job of tailoring that to what an admissions committee might find compelling.

Obviously, such coaching isn’t accesible for everyone. Students from poorer or even middle class backgrounds may be less able to afford these sorts of services. In some cases, wealthier students might attend schools where assistance is available, on campus itself.

As a result, well-off students are likely to gain an edge, in terms of submitting essays which better connect with admissions officers. This only helps increase their chances of admission.

Affluent students are also more likely to have highly educated parents. Such parents might be able to help craft and edit their child’s essays, or have friends who can do so. It stands to reason that the son of an attorney from Santa Monica, has a much higher chance of effective parental assistance, than the daughter of a restaurant worker from Watts.

Such advantages, and, as a corollary, disadvantages, are present throughout the college admissions, and life generally. We cannot hope to entirely eliminate them. However, we should work to limit their impact. Eliminating personal statements are one small step in that direction.

Instead Of Using Personal Statements, Universities Should Use Questionnaires & Letters of Recommendation, To Gain A Full Idea Of An Applicant’s Personal Profile

College admissions decisions should consider more than just an applicant’s grades & test scores. It is reasonable for a university to seek out a broader profile of an applicant. However, this can be done in a manner which is less vulnerable to bias and manipulation.

The vast majority of universities ask students to provide information regarding the extracurricular activities they engaged in during high school, both in terms of the nature of the work done, as well as the number of hours required. Using these metrics, universities can gauge how a student used his or her time.

Letters of recommendation provide admissions officers with deeper insights into what makes a particular student tick. Teachers, as well as outside community leaders, are often in a unique vantage point to understand what a particular student offers

Lastly, it is possible for universities to develop a meaningful understanding of who a student is, without requiring personal statements. Besides letters of recommendation (where such issues might be discussed), a university receives (or can request) information regarding the zip code where a student grew up, and the schools he or she attended.

They can inquire as to the income and education levels of his or her household, whether they were raised by a single parent or other relative, or grew up in a two-parent household. If a student worked part time during high school, or had to commute to a better school outside of his or her neighborhood, this is the sort of information that can be discerned through brief, specific questions.

Such data serves as a window into the challenges a student faced, and what he or she overcame. Yet, by keeping such an inquiry fact-driven, rather than depending on a narrative, the sorts of biases discussed earlier are greatly reduced.

Some might argue that these changes depersonalize the admissions process, making it more metric-driven. I wholeheartedly agree.

It is important that we gain a sense of who applicants are, and what they’ve experienced, without allowing our biased brains to be swayed by a particular narrative, and unfairly privilege or discount any applicant. We must strive to learn more about applicants, while keeping the process objective.

University admissions are far too important to hinge on personal statements, as currently structured. We can do better. We must do better, for the college applicants of the future. It’s time for personal statements to go.

Gym Memberships & Workout Classes Should Be Tax Deductible

                                          Photo Credit: Spa Week Daily

The United States tax code is notoriously complex. Tax policy is one of the most powerful methods through which the government can encourage, or discourage, a range of actions. As a result, the tax code is filled with deductions(and some penalties), for engaging in various behaviors.

If you obtained a mortgage to purchase your home, part of your mortgage interest payments will be tax-deductible. If you own a rental property, you can deduct for depreciation in the value of the property. Real estate isn’t the only field with substantial deductions. You can deduct from your taxes for childcare expenses, student loan interest, medical costs, business expenses (for those who are self-employed), and much more.

There are also penalties, for those actions which the government views as being less than optimal. If you withdraw money early from your 401(k) account, besides income taxes on the amount taken out, in many cases, you’ll be assessed a 10% penalty. Until the recent tax code changes signed into law by President Trump in late 2017 (which apply to future tax filing years),  if you couldn’t provide proof of health insurance, you’ll be fined either a flat penalty, or a portion of your income.

All of this can make filing taxes quite complicated. Yet, whether or not we agree with any particular exemption or penalty, it is clear that each one reflects the priorities of the federal government, and so can help promote (or discourage) certain behaviors.

In July 2018, the House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation which allows gym memberships and workout classes (like Orange Theory, Crossfit or Soulcycle), as well as certain other fitness costs, to be applied towards the broader medical tax deduction. This deduction is limited to $500 for individuals, and $1000 for couples who file joint returns (or file as the head of a household). Also, for those with health savings accounts, or other flexible spending accounts, the passage of the bill means this money can be used towards qualifying healthare expenses. This proposal enjoys rare bipartisan support.

It is no secret that Americans spend far more on healthcare, than citizens of other developed nations. Per capita expenditures on healthcare in the United States are over $10,000 per year. This is nearly double the average for other affluent nations, such as Germany, Japan, France and the United Kingdom. The United States spends around $3.3 trillion on healthcare annually, which accounts for around 17.9% of gross domestic product in the United States. This is also a higher share of GDP than any other developed nation.  Health care costs are a major cause of personal bankruptcy filings in this country.

The reasons why we spend so much on healthcare are quite complex, and have been the subject of voluminous research and analysis. It is simplistic to think that altering one part of the tax code, will be a panacea for astronomical health care costs.

With that said, illnesses caused (at least partially) by a lack of exercise or poor diet, account for quite a large portion of aggregate medical spending in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control, 37.9% of adults over the age of 20 are obese, and 70.7% are either overweight or obese. Since obesity is closely associated with a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, it often results in large healthcare expenses. Studies suggest that obesity-related complications cost between $147 billion to $210 billion every year, with those who are overweight and obese facing higher average costs for emergency rooms visits, and being more likely to require prescription drugs.

Weight challenges aren’t the only health conditions caused by a lack of exercise. The National Institute of Health lists physical inactivity as a substantial factor in numerous health conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and at least several forms of cancer. By contrast, regular exercise reduces the risk of many of these conditions, as well as depression, congestive heart failure, osteoporosis, bone fractures, and other ailments.

Despite the many benefits of greater physical exercise, most Americans are falling short. Less than 5% of American adults obtain at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day, while nearly 80% of Americans fail to exercise the suggested amount each week.

It is clear that if we exercised more (and improved our diets, which can result from improved exercise habits), we would be healthier. As a result, health care costs would fall. How do we set this cycle in motion?

Employers could reimburse employees for gym memberships, or offer other wellness programs, since this could help reduce healthcare costs for employers, as well as absenteeism from work, due to illness. Researchers have found that if implemented properly, workplace wellness programs can be quite effective. Of course, whether to implement such programs, is the choice of individual employers.

People might be financially penalized for a lack of exercise - a large body of psychological research makes it clear that we are more averse to losing a dollar, than the possibility of gaining one. However, this approach presents challenges in terms of monitoring compliance, and has a distinctly paternalistic, Bloombergesque feel to it.

Allowing tax deductions for gym and exercise expenses, allows the government to clarify that increased levels of fitness and exercise are a valued goal - one which is rewarded financially. This allows people who currently make use of a gym or other exercise program to benefit, and offers incentives for those who don’t, to consider doing so in the future. It is also available to everyone, regardless of whether their employer offers health incentives. This reform does not guarantee that more people will exercise or stay healthy, but it does provide an additional reason to do so.

We live in a time of great political rancor, both as private citizens, as well as at the legislative level. There seems to be little we can agree on, and an abundance of issues which tear us apart. Sadly, this doesn’t appear likely to change anytime soon.

Yet, the work of building a better society cannot be put on hold. We have to find common ground somewhere, and implement smart approaches to facilitating positive change, even if these changes aren’t widespread or sweeping.

The ability to set tax policy, is one of the federal government’s most important powers. Like most other political issues, it is often a source of bitter partisan disagreement. At the same time, voters express greater concern over healthcare (particularly healthcare costs and quality), than any other issue.

Reducing demand for medical treatment, through improved patient health, is a no-brainer. Exercise and diet are the simplest ways for us to get there. The federal government can’t make us exercise or eat better - nor should it. However, rewarding people for moving in the right direction, and making exercise and gym attendance just a little more desirable, a nudge of sorts, is a great start.