Google's Ex-CEO Says Ditch the Apps, Turn Off Your Phone for Real Focus
Ever feel like your brain is constantly buzzing, jumping from one notification to the next? You're not alone. In our hyper-connected world, staying focused at work or truly unwinding can feel like an impossible task. But what if the solution isn't another app, but something much simpler?
According to Eric Schmidt, the former CEO who led Google during its massive growth, the answer is surprisingly old-school. Speaking on the Moonshots podcast, Schmidt has some blunt advice for anyone struggling to concentrate or truly relax: forget the fancy meditation apps and just… turn off your phone.
Schmidt observed that the sharpest young researchers he works with have found a simple, yet radical, solution to maintaining deep focus: they completely power down their devices. "You can't think deeply as a researcher with this thing buzzing," he stated, highlighting how constant alerts disrupt serious thought.
He's not shy about pointing fingers at the very industry he helped shape. Schmidt argues that tech companies have deliberately designed products to "monetize your attention," creating a constant stream of notifications, ads, and entertainment that aims to capture "all of your waking hours." This constant stimulation, he says, is "completely antithetical" to the way humans traditionally engage in long, thoughtful examination. And research backs him up: attention spans on computer screens have plummeted from 2.5 minutes two decades ago to a mere 47 seconds today.
And what about those popular meditation and "digital wellness" apps that promise calm? Schmidt dismisses them as counterproductive. "My favorite are these digital apps that make you relax," he quipped. "The correct thing to do to relax is to turn off your phone, right? And then relax in a traditional way." He believes these apps keep you tethered to the very devices causing the problem.
Of course, the companies behind these apps disagree. A spokesperson for Calm suggested "not all screen time is created equal," while Headspace's chief clinical officer argued that telling young people to simply ditch their phones "isn't realistic or helpful."
So, what's the takeaway? While turning off your phone entirely might seem extreme in our hyper-connected world, Schmidt's message is a powerful reminder: true focus and relaxation might just be found by disconnecting, even if just for a little while. Maybe it's time to try a digital detox, the old-fashioned way.
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