Digital detox too extreme? How about trying a gentle “hack” to boost your focus and calm your mind?

In Stolen Focus, Johann Hari talks about how social media/entertainment acts like goggles, altering how we see the world. Each platform makes us perceive life differently:

-Facebook Goggles: You see life through nostalgia, filtered perfection, and endless comparisons.

-X Goggles: Life is chaotic and fast-paced, defined by reactions and hot takes.

- IG Goggles: It’s a curated world of visual highlights, where beauty, travel and success are the currency.

He doesn’t mention LinkedIn, but it would be fair to say LI goggles can make us see life as a relentless race for career success, achievements and the next big opportunity.

Hari says that in constantly switching between these digital lenses, we lose the ability to see life in its true, unfiltered form. We’re moving too fast, rushing from one dopamine hit to the next, measuring our lives in likes, followers and job titles.

Which is where the power of The Book comes in.

Imagine putting on the goggles of a book, where time slows down, thoughts deepen, and distractions melt away. Hari argues that deep reading helps us think more clearly and reconnect with ourselves. Unlike SM, it doesn’t fragment our attention, it strengthens it.

I see how this constant rush leaves people (including me) disconnected from their bodies. We're mentally in 10 places at once, while our body yearns for stillness.

In this frenetic world, slowing down with a good book isn't just beneficial. It's revolutionary:

💡 Mental Reset: Immersing yourself in a novel gives your brain a break from the constant pings and alerts, allowing your mind to naturally decompress and recharge.

💡 Attention Restoration: Unlike rapid-fire social media, reading a book trains your brain to focus for extended periods, gradually rebuilding your capacity for deep work.

💡 Emotional Grounding: Engaging with characters and narratives helps you reconnect with your own emotions and experiences, countering the superficial interactions of social media.

💡 Focus Supercharger: Deep work, like reading or flow states, is like CrossFit for your attention span. You're literally building a more powerful, distraction-resistant brain.

💡 Mental Clarity Enhancer: Ditching the endless scrolling isn't just satisfying—it's like clearing the fog from your mind. You'll process information more deeply and think more creatively when you're not constantly switching between apps.

The best part? These aren't just feel-good claims. Each of these benefits is backed by neuroscience, showing real changes in how our brains function. By slowing down, you're not just taking a break—you're actively investing in a sharper, more resilient you.

So, the next time you’re "info" browsing, ask yourself: What goggles am I wearing right now? And more importantly, when was the last time you took them off?

👇 What book are you currently reading to slow the duck down?

Inside the Digital Sensorium

How to unburden yourself: a guide to escaping overstimulation