Focused Life
We live in an overcompetitive world, and with the rise of the attention economy, the fiercest competition of all is for the attention of others. Attention received can be converted into money (ad revenue) and status (followers, likes, visibility). However, this fight for attention has also produced a population caught in disrupted rhythms, constant distraction, and endless comparison. The cost is not only focus, but also our physical and mental well-being.
Part of the problem is an evolutionary mismatch. Our brains evolved to remain alert to potential threats and opportunities, seek social approval, and track social status in small groups—instincts that kept us alive for millennia. Today, those same drives are hijacked by infinite feeds, curated profiles, online social rewards, and explicit status metrics, making distraction and comparison frequent, even when they harm us.
Focus, then, is more than a productivity hack—it is a form of resistance. To reclaim focus is to reclaim time, energy, and health. Without it, living a meaningful and intentional life becomes impossible.
This category explores philosophy, science, and practical approaches to building a Focused Life: one in which attention is protected, rhythms are restored, and focus becomes the foundation for thriving.
LATEST FOCUSED LIFE POSTS
Did the Introduction of Facebook Cause a Rise in Depression and Anxiety?
It has become common to blame social media for the rising rates of depression and anxiety among young people in the last two decades. But… How can we be sure that social media caused this increase in mental health issues—and that these trends didn’t simply happen to rise alongside each other? To me, the most compelling evidence comes from examining the moment the first major social media platform emerged. In this article, I walk you through research that provides causal evidence linking the gradual introduction of Facebook across American universities (2004-2006) to increases in depression and anxiety among university students, and discuss why this study is still relevant today.
Living Better with Less Technology: A Life-Changing Self-Experiment
Previously, I wrote about my struggles with technology use, feeling it impaired my productivity, social skills, and well-being. To address this, I ran a one-month self-experiment inspired by Cal Newport’s digital declutter, in which I replaced my smartphone with a dumbphone, didn’t use the internet at home, and blocked distracting websites when working with the laptop at the office. This self-experiment was life-changing, and it is why I remain very cautious about the use of digital technologies. In this article, I present the outcomes of a self-experiment with internet restrictions and two later experiences under even greater limitations, all between June 2019 and May 2020. I have included a brief update on my current use of digital technology at the end.