About two years ago, I delved into the pages of “Stolen Focus,” a book that shed light on the addictive nature of social media and technology, and how it has eroded our ability to focus on even the simplest tasks.

As Johann Hari aptly puts it in the book, “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this crisis in paying attention has taken place at the same time as the worst crisis of democracy since the 1930s. People who can’t focus will be more drawn to simplistic authoritarian solutions–and less likely to see clearly when they fail. A world full of attention-deprived citizens alternating between Twitter and Snapchat will be a world of cascading crises where we can’t get a handle on any of them.”

Reading those words made me pause and reflect on my own life. I realized how tethered I was to my phone, how social media had become a constant distraction, pulling me away from what truly mattered. It made me question if I was truly living up to my potential.

In an effort to reclaim my focus and regain control over my attention span, I decided to take small steps, starting with a digital detox on Sundays. It’s been a challenging journey, but one that has been immensely rewarding. With each day of reduced screen time, I feel more present, more engaged with the world around me.

Of course, being human means I still fall prey to comparison, especially when scrolling through the highlight reels of others’ lives on social media. But I’ve come to recognize that my worth isn’t measured by likes or followers. True fulfillment comes from nurturing my emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being.

As I continue on this mission to curb my social media consumption, I’ve even started reevaluating platforms like LinkedIn. While it serves as a valuable tool for professional networking, I can’t ignore its role in perpetuating capitalism and fostering unhealthy comparisons. It’s all about finding balance and reclaiming control over our digital lives.