Single Purpose, Single Focus, Single Task

Tariffs, stock market, inflation, politics, everything. What are we doing? Is it this hyperconnected world that puts all of this information in front of us, whether we want it or not? Or is it that so many things are happening now at a much larger scale than we’ve seen before? I don’t know.

What I do know is that this makes daily life harder. Because of all the uncertainty, it’s difficult to focus and make long-term plans, and it is hard to enjoy the moment. Too much of anything is never a good thing, and we all know this now. It’s hard not to fall into the algorithmic forces that keep us glued to the news, to the latest crisis, to fear, and to the constant stream of “breaking” updates.

For my part, I’m trying hard to step away from all of that. There are a few podcasts I used to enjoy, focusing on tech and business, but now they spend most of their time talking about politics and the economy. That’s no bueno. So I’m taking a break. I’ve been watching good movies, listening to music and e-books, and walking whenever the weather allows. It helps. A lot.

People say we need to stay in the loop to understand what’s happening and that tuning out is like living under a rock. But what good does it do? Honestly. The only people benefiting from our constant attention are the ones producing this content and maybe even those behind the crises themselves. The truth is, watching doesn’t make us more informed or educated. It doesn’t. Consuming large amounts of political and economic content is making us miserable. We spend too much of our time, attention, and energy on things that don’t directly improve our lives or projects.

Trust me, the world isn’t going to change just because we’re watching it fall apart. We matter. Our work matters. Our lives matter. So focus on that. Stop handing your attention to third parties who don’t care about you.

Going for walks is a great way to escape the news cycle and its commentary, but only if you’re not listening to it while you walk. Try music, a podcast on something you love, an audiobook, or just the sounds of your surroundings.

I live in Seattle, and as the weather improves, I’m resuming my daily walks. I’ve stopped listening to a few of those podcasts, and now I try to spend at least half my walk just listening to my surroundings. Not listening to content helps me focus on my thoughts and ideas. Some people try to avoid that, maybe out of discomfort, but I welcome it. Some of my best ideas and most exciting projects have come from walking without distraction, simply thinking, and enjoying the world around me.

I used to work with two monitors for years until I decided to get rid of one. It helped me focus on one task at a time. With two monitors, keeping a chat open or being distracted by something else besides my code or writing was easy. It wasn’t helpful. Once I started using just one screen, my output improved. I got things done faster, and I believe the quality improved too. I don’t miss the second screen, and to think, at one point, I even considered a third. More isn’t always better. Like social media, news, or even monitors, having fewer distractions simplifies life and improves it.

I only keep one social media app on my phone: Instagram. I use it to post photos and videos, nothing else. I don’t follow breaking news there. My family and I talk through a private chat on Signal. It works great. My digital life is still rich. I’ve just cut out the fat and sugar, all the stuff that makes us sick.

I aim to keep doing what I enjoy without being dependent on social media or constant content consumption. I want to be intentional. And when it comes to gadgets, while I still love them, I’m leaning toward single-purpose devices that help me focus. For example, using a camera to take photos instead of my phone. Or writing letters with pen and paper or a typewriter instead of a computer. Or watching a show on an actual TV to watch it and do nothing else. I also love going to the movie theater for the same reason. You sit, watch, and immerse yourself. No phones, no multitasking, just you and the film.

I want to extend this mindset to other areas of my life, but it’ll take time. Like I said, I still enjoy gadgets. I don’t want the type that pushes me to multitask. I want the opposite. If I’m writing, I want to write. If I’m watching a movie, I want to just watch. If I’m taking photos, I want to focus only on that.

I hope this makes sense.

Single purpose, single focus, single task. That could be a good book title—what do you think?